Cornwall care home boss urges against complacency after brother and mother die from coronavirus

A care home boss has warned people not to be complacent and start flouting social distancing rules following the death of both her brother and mum from coronavirus.

Sue Aldridge, manager of Penberthy, a residential home run by Cornwall Care in Newquay, has lost her mum, 76-year-old Jean, and her brother, 48-year-old Ian.

Sue last saw her mum and brother in early March when she and her husband, Alan, went to visit them in the Midlands after Jean was hospitalised following a fall.

The couple were able to take her back home to Willenhall where she lived with husband, Pete, and Ian, who had lifelong disabilities.

Sue and Alan returned to St Columb Major but Jean had several more falls, resulting in further hospital treatment. Not long afterwards, she caught the virus and died. Ian tragically caught it too.

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Lockdown restrictions meant Sue had to watch her mother’s and brother’s funerals online.

“We obviously wanted to be there, but it just wasn’t possible, so we made the best of it,” she said.

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Sue hopes by telling her story it will warn others against complacency as restrictions are relaxed.