My buddy Ellena McCabe, who has died aged 104, was the inspiration behind the creation of a social care reform marketing campaign in Scotland on the age of 99, when she complained about requirements in Scottish nursing houses.
As a resident of a care dwelling herself, Ellena’s considerations led to the creation of BetterCareScotland, the charity of which I’m director of analysis, and which goals to get the Social Work and Care Inspectorate to correctly deal with alleged abuses. Ellena was the marketing campaign’s driving pressure, telling us at each alternative: “Don’t allow them to get away with it.”
Earlier this yr she led a petition to the Scottish parliament for impartial oversight of social care regulation in Scotland by a brand new physique with lay experience. The petition, and the marketing campaign, gave her new objective at an age when she was now not absolutely self-reliant and felt of little sensible use to her household.
Ellena was born in Cumnock, Ayrshire, the primary of 4 youngsters to Samuel Ūssas and his spouse, Sarah (nee Sadeikute), Lithuanians who fled antisemitism shortly after the primary world struggle. That they had supposed to to migrate to the US, however have been detained on their stop-off in Hull, the place they have been advised they may not journey onwards. The officers gave them a brand new surname, Houston, which Ellena took when she was born, and despatched them to Ayrshire, the place Samuel was given a job as a coalminer.
Ellena carried out properly at secondary faculty, however additional training was not an choice, and so she educated as an apprentice to a grasp tailor in Glasgow.
Though a pacificist, as a part of the second world struggle effort she labored in a munitions manufacturing unit. Whereas there, in 1943, she married Michael McCabe, a Dubliner, who was within the Parachute regiment. After the struggle they spent 10 years dwelling in numerous elements of Europe and north Africa whereas Michael was concerned in peacekeeping actions and Ellena raised their first three youngsters.
She continued along with her childcare duties on their return to the UK, because the couple had eight youngsters in all, and likewise put her tailoring expertise to make use of on a part-time foundation, though she by no means had a proper job.
Ellena was admitted to a nursing dwelling in 2015, however left in 2018.
She is survived by six of her youngsters, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
