This Morning viewers left in tears after ‘heart-wrenching’ call from pensioner, 75, sobbing about missing his wife of 46 years in a care home with dementia who he’s not seen since lockdown began
- Psychologist Emma Kenny, from Manchester, hosted a mental health phone-in
- She was called by Brian, 75, from Kent, who is lonely and unable to visit his wife
- was in tears revealing partner of 46-years is living with dementia in a care home
This Morning viewers were left heartbroken after a pensioner called in tears over missing his wife of 46-years, who is currently living in a care home with dementia.
Psychologist Emma Kenny, from Manchester, appeared alongside hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield to host a phone-in offering advice about mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Caller Brian, 75, from Kent, left viewers in tears after sobbing over the phone about how he felt ‘depressed’ because he’s been unable to see his wife for months over lockdown.
Unable to finish the call because he was so overwhelmed with emotion, Brian’s story devastated viewers after Philip revealed that he felt unable to ‘possibly deal with the loneliness’ he feels.
Psychologist Emma Kenny, from Manchester (pictured) hosted a phone-in which lef viewers in tears today on This Morning
She appeared alongside hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield (both pictured) to host a phone-in offering advice about mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic
Explaining his situation, Brian said over the phone: ‘I’m very depressed, my partner of 46 years…she’s gone into…into a home with dementia’.
With Brian too emotional to carry on, Phil, 58, spoke on his behalf, revealing: ‘She’s gone into a care home with dementia, since the beginning of lockdown he’s not seen her.
‘He’s 75, he’s so lonely and depressed, he thinks this could lead to something bad. He has one daughter but she lives far away and doesn’t want to bother her.
‘How can he possibly deal with his loneliness?’
Viewers quickly took to Twitter to share their heartbreak, calling dementia a ‘cruel disease’ and saying the ‘pain and emotion in his voice’ left them devastated
Viewers quickly took to Twitter to share their heartbreak, calling dementia a ‘cruel disease’ and saying the ‘pain and emotion in his voice’ left them devastated.
One wrote: ‘Listening to the gentleman ‘Brian’ on #ThisMorning is absolutely heart-wrenching #Dementia is such a cruel disease.’
Another said: ‘My heart goes out to Brian, he’s breaking my heart just sharing the pain and emotion in his voice. I just want to give him a hug. This whole lockdown business is really tough on our elderly and young people as well’.
A third wrote: ‘Poor Brian talking about depression during lockdown and the difficulties he is experiencing with his wife in care and unable to visit…. #socialprescribing could definitely help with things like this.. Need to get the word out #thismorning.’
As Brian was too emotional to carry on, Phil, 58, spoke on his behalf, revealing: ‘She’s gone into a care home with dementia, since the beginning of lockdown he’s not seen her’
Advising Brian, Emma urged him to speak with his GP and tell his daughter how he’s feeling, insisting: ‘Brian I think you need support just as much as your wife needs support’
Advising Brian, Emma urged him to speak with his GP and tell his daughter how he’s feeling.
‘I think it’s one of the most challenging times for anybody who’s got relatives in care homes’, said Emma. ‘You want to be with them.
‘Particularly with dementia, it’s one of those things where you need the consistency of families. Brian, I think you need support just as much as your wife needs support.’