11:17am Thursday 27th November 2008
By Steve Mather
THE Mayor of Evesham has called for improvements in the standard of care being offered to elderly care home residents after the removal 24 hour wardens.
Cllr Alan Booth said that residents of homes such as Meade Court and Ferry View were now vulnerable and that something needed to be done to ensure their safety.
Homes are no longer staffed by a live-in warden but by a ‘floating support’ service provided by an agency on behalf of Rooftop Housing Association. This means that elderly residents are left alone for long periods at weekends and throughout the night.
Cllr Booth said: “I am told there have been break-ins and I think we have to do something as we need to look after these people.
“It cannot be nice for them to feel unsafe, laying in bed wondering if the place is going to be robbed or even go up in flames. I don’t want them to think we are neglecting them.”
Town councillor Gerry O’Donnell said he was ‘disgusted’ with how the residents were being treated. “They are frightened to go out of their rooms. These elderly people are fearful and alone “Some housing associations have not removed full time wardens and the way the initiative has been adopted in Evesham seems to be pretty chaotic.”
Cllr Jo Sandalls: “I am appalled that these people are being left alone with no attention. Farmers would not leave their animals alone this long. We need this situation investigated.”
Evesham Town Council will contact Rooftop to express its concerns about the way elderly people are being cared for.
Rooftop said that a number of safety and security measures had been put in place to safeguard residents and the changes were made as part of a national change in the way support services are offered to elderly people.
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