Half-empty Heversham House care home could be forced to close
A CARE home at the heart of a South Lakeland community is under threat of closure.
7:40am Thursday 18th August 2011
By Scott Kirk » Reporter
A change in social services policy has meant only five out of the 12 beds at Heversham House are full, and the care home will struggle to see out the rest of the year unless more residents move in.
The policy change, which sees more elderly people being looked after in their own home rather than a care home, has not only affected Heversham House.
Many care homes across the country are also at risk, according to the English Community Care Association, the representative body for independent care prov-iders.
“There are a lot of issues with care homes at the moment,” said Maria Patterson, external relations manager.
“We’ve seen a lot of social services across the country demanding far reduced rates to be paid by the relatives of residents in care homes, and this is in the face of rising costs.
“The rates homes charge are already far short of the true value cost for a care home. This is a national problem.”
A Freedom of Information request by charity Age UK rev-ealed that 139 out of 152 councils across the country had cut adult social services by 8.4 per cent.
Heversham House’s Isobel Wales, her five residents, and 11 staff, now face an uncertain future unless more business can be drummed up.
“The people we look after are the generation that have put the most effort into our society and we can’t take care of them because they’re in their own home,” said Mrs Wales, who has owned Heversham House for 22 years. “Our society is abandoning them. I have no idea what will happen if we are forced to close.”
Des French, whose mother Joan has lived in Heversham House for four years, is similarly unsure of what the future would hold should the home be forced to shut.
“My mother is very happy here. She likes the food and the people who are caring for her, and that is what it’s all about.
“I have made the assumption that social services would prov-ide accommodation for my mother in the event of Heversham House closing but, otherwise, I’ve got no idea what the future would hold.”
Peter Woodhouse, manager of Cumbria Social Services, said: “National research has demonstrated that the vast majority of people would prefer to be cared for in their own home where possible.
“We are sorry to hear that a local provider of residential care is in difficulty and we will be happy to discuss any problems to see if we can offer any help.”
A potential closure of the home would have a wider impact on the community of Heversham, according to local historian Roger Bingham.
“It’s one of the most important houses in Heversham,” said Mr Bingham.
