BILL Stuckey looked after his poorly wife Phyllis around the clock but feared they may have to spend their golden years living apart when she needed to move into a care home.

Phyllis was registered blind for 15 years and began suffering from dementia in 2013. When she had a nasty fall down a flight of stairs, her family faced a difficult decision.

Their daughter Janette Gallagher said: "It all got a bit much for dad and he got really down, plus we were worried about mum because she needed more help.

"So we looked for a residential home where they could both receive the support they needed.

"We were getting desperate, we couldn't find a dementia friendly facility anywhere that let couples live together. I feared that we might have to think the unthinkable of splitting them up, then we stumbled upon Stanton Lodge."

Bill and Phyllis sold their three-bedroom Highworth home and moved in later that year.

Bill, 94, said: "I couldn't imagine living without her, you couldn't have separated us, we had to be together and we've hardly had a day apart.

"This was an oasis, we were very glad to have a place like this because it solved all our problems."

Janette added: "He was in a bad way when they moved in and we didn't know what to expect but they both got settled and his spirits lifted.

"He started playing the piano again and mum sat beside him and sang along, it brought tears to our eyes, it was so touching.

"Even when mum was bedbound in her final days, she would sing from her bed while he played her favourite pieces.

"We were worried about how dad would cope after she passed because they were married for 71 years but he's doing very well.

"The staff always pop in to say hello or wave while they walk past his room, they put on events and keep him fed and watered."

Phyllis died last year and since then Bill has stayed in Stanton Lodge surrounded by furniture from their former home, photos of his children and great-grandchildren, and a view of the shared garden from the window in front of his piano.

The former GWR railway worker moved to Swindon from Plymouth after marrying Phillys. He is now dealing with his own dementia but sees his family regularly and the staff are always on hand if he needs support.

Manager Lynn Hughes said: "They were a lovely couple and living here really enhanced their lives because they could still be together even though one of them had additional care needs."