By Paul Richoux

As we sit down to chat over a cup of coffee, Linda McLean is telling me about Florence Nightingale. It seems a very appropriate place to begin as Linda spent many years working as a nurse, at one point she was in charge of an intensive care unit. In telling me the back story of “The lady with the lamp” she concludes that Nightingale’s era of nursing had at least one thing in common with our own, even back then it was over-regulated.

Obviously today’s care is not quite what it was in the Crimea, we live in a kinder society which is increasingly aware of and sensitive to the difficulties faced by disabled people. But Linda worries that administration can be a bit of a hindrance at times.

A chance encounter

In 1986 Linda met Shand, a severely disabled and ventilated man. He came to the hospital Linda worked at with a damaged knee and would turn out to be far more than just another patient.

Shand’s lack of mobility would soon force him into an electric wheelchair, something he had firmly resisted previously. He nevertheless found it a lot more tolerable than he had supposed and to help put his doubts to rest, Linda introduced him to her then husband, who was himself a wheelchair user. From then on Linda and Shand would remain the best of friends and would go on to form a partnership demonstrating what disabled housing and care ought to be.

Pooling resources

By the late 90s Shand was living in disabled housing. The housing itself was perfectly fine but Shand was the victim of some appalling bullying. He faced intimidation when he left his house and even had fireworks put through his letterbox. However because there was no problem with the house, as far as the care was concerned there was no problem.

He decided that he wanted to take charge of his life. He presented Linda with an offer she could not have seen coming. Why not find a home, adapt it for a disabled person and move in together? He would hire Linda as his main carer and she in turn could train additional help. As soon as the initial shock wore off, Linda accepted.

Making it happen

After a bit of house hunting the property was selected, and Linda and Shand set out to adapt it to perfection for a disabled person. Tulloch Ard, as the house is known, is a very nice property with an interior made up of large rooms, wide open spaces, and ramps have been fitted in every necessary part of the house. A few doorways were widened for Shand’s wheelchair. The large garden was Shand’s pride and joy. He saw to it that it was always in an impeccable state and for his efforts earned not one but several gardening prizes.

Linda received a lot of advice and encouragement from Dr Dorothy Child, a fellow pioneer of disabled care and a lady for whom Linda has infinite admiration. She says of Dr Child “she was my mentor and my guide”.

The arrangement worked well. Linda, her fellow carers and Shand were able to make it so, even if, as she says with a little laugh, occasionally someone’s nerves wore a little thin. To Linda, Tulloch Ard in its prime was the very definition of what disabled care ought to be. It was efficient, based on the shared expertise of the participants, but perhaps most importantly there was genuine human warmth.

Now a day

Shand sadly died in 2004 but not before he’d been awarded an MBE by the Queen for his efforts to promote and further standards of disabled living.  Today Linda is looking to move house but she would dearly love to see Tulloch Ard used for its intended purpose. She has offered to sell her house to the local council, as well as other organisations but without any success so far. She continues to be involved in efforts to improve independent living, she contributes to various organisations (is an active member of bespoken). Her hope is that Tulloch Ard may serve as a template. Regarding Shand’s decision to live independently she remarks “Shand couldn't even open a door or lift a phone; I can’t imagine the courage it took to move”.