Rotterdam council’s ombudsman has described a decision to withdraw all domestic help for an 83-year old man with serious dementia as ‘incomprehensible’. Officials decided earlier the man’s 77-year-old wife is capable of caring for him.

Ombudsman Anne Mieke Zwaneveld said on Friday she has received dozens of complaints about domestic help services, which now fall under local council responsibilities. She has now launched a formal investigation into the issue, the Telegraaf reports.

She also plans to take up the issue with regional ombudsmen. The transfer of domestic help from national government to local councils was also coupled with a hefty budget reduction.

The most high-profile case so far is that of an elderly couple from Groningen. Aged 88 and 89, they were told they would no longer qualify for seven hours help but went to court and won.