He ‘Hollered’ for Her Nightly : Home Relents, Says Aged Couple Can Sleep Together

Nursing home officials today moved an elderly couple into a private room to stop the 86-year-old woman from walking across the hall and climbing into a single bed with her 87-year-old husband when he “hollered” for her every night.

Dillie Myrick, administrator of Community Nursing Home, said the Mississippi Health Care Commission had given her permission to move some other elderly residents around to provide the room for Gene and Marie Willis.

“We now have a place for the Willises and they will be here from now on,” she said.

Myrick had earlier notified the Willises and a relative that the couple would have to leave in 14 days if they could not sleep apart.

Myrick said employees began moving two other women out of the room with Marie Willis this morning. She said two single beds will be locked together “so they can sleep side by side.”

The problem arose when the Willises moved into the nursing home just after Christmas and were put into separate rooms because the home had no private rooms for married couples.

“Every night he hollers for her to come to his bed,” Myrick had said, and the woman walked across the hall and climbed into the single bed with Willis, disturbing three other men in the room.

Officials also were concerned that one or both of the Willises might injure themselves in a fall from the bed.