Loose Women celebrity Coleen Nolan has expressed ongoing feelings of “guilt” over the decision to relocate her mother to a care facility due to the escalating challenges of caring for her at home amidst her battle with Alzheimer’s. The family faced a difficult choice to transition Maureen into a nursing home to ensure she received round-the-clock care. Coleen shared that towards the end of Maureen’s life, she was almost unrecognizable.
During an episode of the Loose Women: Just Between Us podcast, Coleen, aged 60, revealed that they allowed Maureen to select her own nursing home. This decision came after a listener sought advice on moving their father into a similar setting. Coleen explained, “We knew she had to go into a home because she was getting to the point where it was dangerous on her own, and with us, we weren’t trained and it was 24/7 and we all worked. We did this thing where you can choose it.”
Despite the star’s efforts to provide the best care, Maureen’s preference differed from what Coleen initially thought would be suitable. Reflecting on this, Coleen expressed her lingering sense of guilt surrounding the decision, emphasizing her struggles with it to fellow Loose Women personality Charlene White.
In a previous interview with the Mirror in 2008, Coleen had shared poignant insights into her mother’s condition, lamenting the stark decline in Maureen’s cognitive abilities. Maureen, originally from Dublin, pursued a career in music as a soprano and eventually formed a successful act with her daughters, including Coleen, known as The Nolans, who achieved fame in the 1970s with hit singles like I’m in the Mood for Dancing and Gotta Pull Myself Together.
Coleen recalled how music brought solace to her mother in her final days, noting that Maureen found peace in listening to music and watching musical performances. This comforting routine provided moments of tranquility for Maureen as her condition progressed.