Clare McAlister told of the family’s heartache amid a rehousing struggle, with their home in Harthill, North Lanarkshire, no longer suitable for husband Thomas’ needs.
A disabled Scots dad, who was fit and adventurous before a stroke nine years ago left him paralysed, has been “trapped” upstairs in his family home for years. Thomas McAlister’s family blame “systemic failures” for the 66-year-old’s diminished quality of life.
In 2017, Thomas, then aged 57, suffered a stroke while behind the wheel of his car after a fishing trip near Lockerbie. The dad-of-two was rushed to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, before being transferred to St Johns Hospital in Livingston where he spent three months recovering.
The tragic stroke left the left side of Thomas’ body paralysed. Now, his speech is “very little” and he can only feed himself independently if the food is cut up small. His wife Clare, daughter Krisheron, and son Byron have become his full-time carers.
The family’s life has “never been the same”, says wife Clare, 62, who is “living in constant fear”.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, Clare told of the family’s heartache amid a rehousing struggle, with their home in Harthill, North Lanarkshire, no longer suitable for Thomas’ needs.
Claire said: “Before falling ill, Boyd (Thomas) lived an active life, he liked to keep himself busy. Now he is bedbound, and for the past five years has been trapped in his upstairs bedroom after the stairlift we had installed was removed as it was no longer safe for transfers.
“It is absolutely heartbreaking, he is completely isolated, it’s soul destroying.”
In May 2025, Thomas fell seriously ill and contracted sepsis. A 999 call was made immediately by a doctor who assessed him at home, however, the family claim it took crews over three-and-a-half hours to remove him from the property, during which time he suffered three cardiac arrests.
Clare – who sleeps on a mattress on the floor next to her husband’s bed – say the family are “living in constant fear” of another life-threatening incident, as there is “no safe evacuation route” for her husband.
The family have lived in their Harthill home for around 30 years, but now require a single-storey property with enough space for Thomas’ hospital bed and equipment.
Clare continued: “A new home all on one level would be life-changing for us, it would eliminate so many problems. Boyd requires 24-hour care, someone needs to be nearby in case of emergencies, or to hear him should he need anything.
“Over the years he has been completely isolated from family life. We try our best, we really do. You know, last Christmas we ate our dinner on an ironing board just so we could all be in the same room as Boyd. I’d hate for him to ever be left out, it breaks my heart.”
It is understood that North Lanarkshire Council offered the family a newly built property in June 2024 however, it was declined as it “did not meet Boyd’s needs”, and according to Clare, had stairs.
“Boyd has not been outside in five years, he has missed hospital appointments and has been advised to only attend in emergencies”, Clare added.
And son Byron said his dads mental health has “deteriorated significantly, he has little to no stimulation.”
The family blame “systemic failures” for Thomas’ decline in livelihood, and claim communication has “broken down” with the council’s housing and social work teams.
A council housing project, delivering 26 new homes for the local community, is currently underway on Laburnum Road in Viewpark, North Lanarkshire. One property will be a four-bedroom bungalow, a home which would be suitable for the McAlister’s who have been on the housing list for several years.
Though, despite enquiring, the family claim they were told that the property – which is due to be complete by January 2027 – is already earmarked for someone else. The setback has left Clare and her children “heartbroken”.
North Lanarkshire Council confirmed that the McAlister family have been offered “a flexible care package” but Clare insists on caring for her husband at home. She added: “Don’t get me wrong, I do long for the life we once had, but Boyd is not a burden. He is my husband and we will continue to look after him. It’s our family’s love that has kept us going over the years.
“There has been failures here since day dot, in 2017. It’s made me lose faith in people – it’s the full sector as a whole really.”
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said: “We recognise this is a difficult situation for Mr McAlister and his family, and our priority is to work with them to find a solution that meets his assessed needs as quickly as possible.
“Mr McAlister requires highly adapted, wheelchair-accessible accommodation. A newly built property which met these needs was offered in June 2024, however this was declined by the family.
“We continue to work closely with them, however their request for a four-bedroom, bungalow-style property significantly limits the options available, as this type of accommodation is extremely scarce. Despite this, we are actively exploring both existing housing and new-build opportunities to find a suitable solution.
“Our social work team have also offered ongoing support, advice and a flexible care package, but the family have chosen not to take this up and prefer to manage care themselves at present.”
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