Intent
The attending physician, noting the patient was restless and agitated, recorded a diagnosis of cortico-subcortical atrophy and recommended an internship in a nursing home in the report.
The actor and his wife say the elderly woman refused admission to a center and preferred to be treated at home.
Dementia was diagnosed on May 7. The elderly woman then favored the nephew, transferring funds and ownership of a flat in Grado. Two weeks later she granted power of attorney, authorizing Arancha to manage accounts and sign documents on the woman’s behalf.
Another doctor in Asturias
Documents sent to the Civil Guard from the Grado Health Center include a report dated April 22, noting the woman suffered from an illness described as a social problem due to isolation. A doctor explained he spoke with Arancha and conveyed that Isabel had pain consistent with degenerative dementia. The doctor advised contacting Social Services to pursue disability status or placement in a residential center.
“I wanted to be cared for at home”
The couple acknowledges the medical advice but says they rejected the old woman’s decision. They explain Isabel did not want to enter a dormitory and had moved to Madrid to avoid such placement. Isabel expressed a wish to stay in Arancha and Luis’s home, and they arranged caregiving in line with her preferences.
The caregiver who looked after the elderly woman in the final month of life was summoned for judge’s questions on June 15. Sources indicate that day Isabel stated she preferred Madrid to Asturias, noting that her siblings controlled the situation.
The health history shows a doctor visit a day after the move to the couple’s home in Rivas-Vaciamadrid, a visit prompted by multiple illnesses involving chronic skin ulcers. After examination, the doctor noted the ulcer had been present since summer and recommended compression therapy. The report states Isabel would stay about two weeks before returning to Asturias to be with a niece.
“Standing for the moment”
Three weeks later, Isabel went to the emergency department as injuries worsened. The attending doctor wrote that Isabel would have gone to Asturias for treatment but remained in Madrid for the time being. Witnesses are expected to testify in the coming weeks, with additional details needed to clarify the case.
The siblings and nephews of Isabel did not dispute Madrid as a place of residence given the transfer circumstances. A brother reported that Luis Lorenzo and his wife disappeared after arriving at Isabel’s home, leaving the woman unattended with the heating on and a stocked kitchen, according to his statement. He claimed the couple would not allow him to speak with his sister and appeared to be motivated by financial gain.
“They took the kernels”
Family statements describe Isabel as someone who often complained about the situation. She reportedly did not want to go to Madrid and even expressed a strong aversion to Arancha’s husband, as did the actor and his nephew at times. The family recalls time spent with them as draining and financially draining, emphasizing the loss of clear days and energy in the visits.
Isabel’s brothers arrived at the health center worried about communication barriers with the patient. A separate report from Asturian doctors dated May 3, 2021 offered support if the woman returned home. Doctors noted difficulty in contacting Arancha. A later report dated May 12 highlighted family anxiety and ongoing concern due to the patient’s inaccessibility.