After nearly 70 years together, this couple fears they'll be forced to spend the rest of their lives apart - Action News
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After nearly 70 years together, this couple fears they'll be forced to spend the rest of their lives apart

There's a shortage of beds and health workers to provide care In Newfoundland and Labrador. It means facilities that provide higher levels of care can't also accept people, like Jim Wolfrey, who don't require as much help. So, in their mid-80s, the Wolfreys are forced to live apart.

For Jim and Theresa Wolfrey, separated in long-term care in St. John's, time is running out

An elderly husband and wife smile at each other lovingly.
Jim and Theresa Woolfey have been married for almost 69 years, but have been forced to live apart for the last 18 months. (Submitted by Marilyn Gould)

WhileNewfoundland and Labradorlooks for ways to fix a provincial health-care system that separates elderly spouses in long-term care, a St. John's couple married nearly seven decades ago but now living apart worries time is running out.

In February, the provincial healthminister announced a review of personal and long-term care homes, including facilities'inability to accept couples who require different levels of care like Jim and Theresa Woolfrey.

TheWoolfreys, both 86 years old, were married nearly 69 years ago. He needs Level1 care, for people who are independently mobile but need some help, and she needs Level 3 care, for people who require at least three hours of supervision over a 24-hour period.

They lived together until about 18 months ago.

"My wife got sick and she qualified for Level 3. I don't. That's the story," said Jim Woolfrey. "You know, we lived together for almost all of our lives and right quick, we're separated."

Newfoundland and Labrador is struggling witha shortage of long-term care beds andworkers to provide care. It means long-term care facilities that provide higher levels of care can't also accept someonelike Jim, who doesn't require as much help.Sothe Woolfreys are forced to live apart.

Jim visits Theresa almost every day but theystill spend most of their days in separate homes.

"I find it very hard but she finds it even harder than I do," he said.

"Every evening when I leave she says, 'Oh my, can't you stay?' and she's almost in tears then. It's hard to leave."

An elderly man sits in a red armchair on a bright, sunny day with a younger woman sitting on another chair to his right, holding a cellphone.
Marilyn Gould, right, says she wants her parents to be able to spend more time together in their remaining years. (Mark Quinn/CBC)

Their daughter, Marilyn Gould, is fighting for a way to bring her parents back together.

"It's heartbreaking. It really is. I mean, how many couples reach the age of 86 and both have their faculties that they can talk to each other and enjoy each other's company but then they have to separate?" she said.

Health Minister Tom Osborne says short-term changes arecoming.

"This is a subject that I absolutely want to get resolved. In the very near future we'll have more to say on how we can accommodate spouses as opposed to separating spouses," he said.

A middle-aged man stands in the lobby of the west block of the Confederation Building in St. John's while speaking with a CBC reporter.
Tom Osborne, Newfoundland and Labrador's health minister, said short-term solutions are coming but provided no details. (Mark Quinn/CBC)

Osborne suggested there may be changes coming to admission criteria at care facilities but offered no details.

Too late?

Gould, a retired nurse, worries a solutionwill come too late for her parents.

"The problem for Mom and Dad is time. Time is not on their side." she said.

"My fear is that they will not get to spend at least some time together in their last little bit of time that they have. It seems totally unfair, you know someone works all their lives, they pay into taxes, they get into these homes and the government can do whatever they want with them."

Opposition says government taking too long

The provincial Opposition's health critic says it's unacceptable that the provincial government hasn't introduced legislation to ensure elderly couples remain together, as has happened in other provinces, including in Nova Scotia.

A middle-aged man speaks with a CBC reporter in the East Block of the Confederation Building in St. John's.
PC health critic Paul Dinn says the provincial government should enact legislation to ensure elderly couples aren't separated in long-term care. (mark Quinn/ CBC)

"We have an aging population and we've seen this coming for a long, longtime and to get to this point where we don't have measures in place to address this. There's no excuse for it. There really isn't," said Opposition Progressive Conservative Party MHA Paul Dinn.

The provincial government has said in the past that the shortage of beds is the problem.

"I think it would be very difficult to legislate something we couldn't deliver," said then Health Minister John Haggie in March 2022.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador