The distraught daughter of a nursing home resident forced to move out by its charity owners says the final weeks of her mum’s life were “utterly destroyed”.

Dementia sufferer Rene Tucker, 88, was told to find a new home following the announcement in March that St John in Whitstable would close on May 31.

She moved to a new residency in Herne Bay during the height of lockdown and died on May 19, having not seen her daughter, Liz Boys, for the last nine weeks of her life.

Mrs Boys - who had urged owner St John Ambulance not to close the home until after the pandemic - says she will never forgive the charity for its actions.

She says had the decision been delayed her mother would would have died surrounded by staff she knew and cared for.

“The residents were forced to leave St John at the height of the pandemic and the families had a real struggle to secure alternative homes for them to live in,” she said.

“Mum had been a very happy resident for almost 12 years; it was her home and all she knew.

“The staff - without exception - were wonderful to her and cared for her until she was forced to move.”

On the day of the move, Mrs Boys took her mum to her new home in Herne Bay and said she had gone to enormous efforts to try and make it look like the home she was “ripped away” from.

Staff kindly allowed Mrs Boys to settle her for a while - unlike residents at other care homes who, she claims, were “left on the doorstep” while the families were not allowed to enter.

“Mum could not fathom why she was being moved,” she added.

“I gave her a hug goodbye and said I would visit when the pandemic was over, and I would then be allowed in.

“I took a photo of her before I left - that was the last time I saw her, nine weeks ago.”

But Ms Tucker continually asked to be allowed to see her daughter.

Mrs Boys said: “She died on May 19 alone and not understanding why her daughter didn’t go to see her any more and it utterly breaks my heart.

“I can never forgive St John for what they did, which in the end contributed to mum’s dreadful final weeks of life.”

Mrs Boys believes her mum would potentially still be alive today if she was not evicted from the home.

“Even if lockdown had meant I was not able to visit her at St John, at least she would have been surrounded by friends who she knew and cared for her,” she added.

“As it was she was in an alien environment surrounded by people who were strangers to her.”

Founded by four Whitstable women in 1947, St John was the only nursing home operated by St John Ambulance and was heavily financed by donations and legacies.

After an independent review of its operations, the charity decided residents would be “better placed” with a different provider due to their increasing needs.

Its closure left 39 staff redundant and 13 elderly residents needing to find a new place to live.

Richard Lee, chief operating officer at St John Ambulance, said: “We were extremely saddened to hear of this news and extend our deepest sympathies to Mrs Boys at what must be a terribly difficult time.”

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