A woman living with a traumatic brain injury has said being moved to temporary accommodation after flooding in her home has left her feeling stripped of her dignity and independence.
Samantha Scott, 40, a former carer who now requires carers due to her injury, said the independence she spent years building has been crushed after being moved to another flat while work is carried out on her home of ten years in Blyth.
She said she is desperate to return to the Northumberland County Council property where she feels safe and can regain some normality, but after several delays she is unsure when she will be able to go back.
Move described as 'heartbreaking'
"Having to leave my home and move somewhere unfamiliar turned my whole world upside down," said Samantha. "My home isn't just somewhere I live - it's where I feel safe and where I've built my routine over the last 10 years. I live with the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury, so routine and familiar surroundings are incredibly important to me."
Samantha was moved to a temporary flat in another part of Blyth on June 16 after flooding and damp was discovered in her home, which was due to have new flooring laid. When workers began lifting the flooring, they discovered the flooding and damp.
"The flooring throughout my flat had become saturated and unsafe," she said. "The damage was so extensive that it wasn't safe for me to remain in the property and I had to move out while the work was carried out."
Repeated delays affect mental health
Samantha described the move as "heartbreaking" and difficult to adjust to due to her traumatic brain injury. She was initially told the work would take four to six weeks but has since been told it is not expected to be completed until September 4.
"The uncertainty and repeated delays have affected my mental health, leaving me feeling isolated, anxious and forgotten at times," she said. "Something that has been particularly upsetting is that I haven't been provided with bath rails in my temporary accommodation. This means I can't safely get in and out of the bath independently and have lost another part of the independence I've worked so hard to achieve."
She added: "Having to rely on other people for something as basic as washing has been incredibly difficult and has affected both my confidence and my dignity. Every time I've been given hope that I'll be moving home, the date has changed again. It feels like the finish line keeps being moved further away."
Desire to return home
Although Samantha is grateful for the support she has received from family and friends, her carers, and the council, she is desperate for the work to be completed so she can return home.
"No amount of support can replace having my own home back," she said. "More than anything, I just want to return to the place where I feel safe, independent and able to live my life with some normality again."
