(Image: Suzanne Bennett)
A 98-year-old woman who came to Britain as a refugee during the Second World War has been forced to leave her Bradford district care home.
Zena Mozil, who fled wartime Poland and Ukraine before settling in Shipley in 1947, is a resident at Grange Court Residential Home in Baildon.
But Bradford Council is set to be move her to another care home later this month.
Her friend and representative, Suzanne Bennett, said the move followed complications during the sale of Ms Mozil's property, which had been expected to help fund her care.
Bradford Council says "decisions about care arrangements are made following an assessment of an individual's eligible care and support needs".
Zena Mozil, 98, at her current care facility.
(Image: Suzanne Bennett)
Concerns over move
Ms Bennett said her concerns centred on the impact relocating could have on Ms Mozil after she had become settled in her current surroundings at Grange Court Residential Home in Baildon.
She stressed that her worries were not about the quality of care at the new home.
She said: "I'm sure the carers are just as lovely…it's the actual facility.
"They have exercise classes, singing, entertainers and lots of different activities where she is now."
Ms Bennett said seeing Ms Mozil settled and enjoying life in her current surroundings had made the prospect of moving particularly difficult.
House sale delayed
According to Ms Bennett, the proceeds from the sale of Ms Mozil's home were intended to cover the cost of her care.
However, she said the sale stalled after it emerged the property had never been registered with HM Land Registry.
It is understood a buyer remains interested in purchasing the house, but the transaction cannot proceed until ownership issues have been resolved.
Ms Bennett said: "Had she been able to sell the house 12 weeks ago, we wouldn't be in this situation."
She added: "The council won't let her stay until they can put a charge on the house, but they can't put a charge on the house because it hasn't been registered."
A life helping others
Ms Mozil has been a familiar figure in the Shipley community for decades.
Fluent in English, Polish, Russian, Italian, Ukrainian and German, she has spent much of her life supporting others.
Friends say she cared for her husband Basil for 17 years following a severe stroke and volunteered for many years at the Polish Club, helping provide lunches for older residents.
She has also been described as a generous neighbour who regularly helped people with shopping, looked after pets and maintained friendships across the community.
Ms Bennett said: "She'd do anything for anybody."
She added: "She came here with nothing after the war and built a life for herself. Everybody knows Zena."
'It's the system, not the people'
Despite her frustrations, Ms Bennett said she did not blame individual council officers or care staff involved in the process.
She explained: "It's not the people, it's the whole system…one person deals with one thing, and another person deals with something else.
"It is a minefield because you don't know where to turn."
Ms Bennett said Ms Mozil's experience highlighted what she believed were wider difficulties faced by elderly people and their families when trying to fund care later in life.
She said: "You want your loved ones to have the best of care, especially towards the end of life.’
Council response
A Bradford Council spokesperson said: "While we are unable to comment on individual cases, we recognise that any move between care settings can be distressing for residents and their families, particularly where someone has become settled in their current home.
"Decisions about care arrangements are made following an assessment of an individual's eligible care and support needs, with their wellbeing, safety and dignity at the centre of the process.
"We work closely with residents, families, and care providers to achieve the best possible outcome for the individual.
"Where people require support with funding their care, our staff provide information, advice and support on the options available to them, based on their individual circumstances."