The grand-daughter of a couple who have lived together for 62 years has shared on her Facebook Page how they have been separated for 8 months due to delays in the U.S’ health care system.

Wolf Gottschalk, 83, is at a transitional facility for people waiting to get nursing homes, while his wife, Anita, 81 lives at another nursing home.

In the photo above, they were seen crying as they bade themselves farewell. They only see each other every other day, thanks to their grand-daughter, Ashley Kaila Bartyik who drives Anita multiple times a week to where Wolf is.

She posted that though dementia is taking its toll on her grandfather, his memory of his wife has not faded. She expressed fear that as they live apart much longer, his memory of her won’t stay.

She wrote:

Friends please read! This is The saddest photo I have ever taken. This is my Omi and my Opi. As you can see they are both wiping away tears! But why? It was taken in Surrey at Yale road, a transitional facility for people waiting to get into nursing homes, that’s where my Opi is! After 62 years together in marriage they have been separated for 8 months due to backlogs and delays by our health care system, who have the power to have my grandpa moved to the same care facility as my grandmother.

They cry every time they see each other, and it is heartbreaking. To make it worse, TODAY he was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Besides that limiting his time and making this more urgent, His Dementia is growing ever stronger each day, but his memory of my grandmother has not faded an inch…yet. We are afraid however that if they are living apart much longer, his memory of her won’t stay. This has been a strain on our family, making the 30 minute commute to bring her to see him, every second day, so he does not forget her.

Now with the news of cancer, our fight to have them in the same facility is even more urgent. He isn’t even getting proper care where he is, including no physical therapy which we were promised (the only reason he is in a wheelchair is because it has been 8 months of no walking!!) They deserve this! Financially, physically and emotionally exhausted, me and my family are begging for your help my friends.

We have contacted our local MLA, called Fraser Health and done in person inquiries, but none of our questions and concerns have been answered. We want justice for my grandparents who after 62 years together deserve to spend their last moments in the same building. Please share this and tag anyone that needs to see this post to get the help we need! @fraserhealthauthority


Since she posted the story on Tuesday, and it has gotten over 5,000 shares.

Apparently, the health authorities in interviews are saying that they are working closely with the family to get Wolf moved, but she said her family has not been contacted since the past 8 months when Wolf got into the facility.

Photo Credit:  Facebook/Ashley Kaila B