Care home closure plan approved

Many residents said they would have preferred to stay independent

Plans to close eight of Bristol's 13 council-run care homes have been agreed in principle, despite a protest.

Care workers and residents' families lobbied the Cabinet on Thursday saying the move was a cost-cutting measure which would damage services.

The council said it was responding to a survey of elderly people, most of whom said they wanted to stay independent.

Current residents will have the choice to be transferred to sheltered flats, it is claimed.

Government expectations

The remaining homes would take people with age-related conditions such as dementia.

Rowena Hayward from the GMB union, whose members work in the care homes, said: "We have a number or homes that we need to keep open, obviously we need a specialist service.

"But we also need to be looking after those elderly people who are still mentally alert, but are not as agile physically who'll need 24/7 care."

Councillor Peter Hammond said their aim was to deliver "improved care services to older people".

"Older people have consistently told us that they want to live as independently as possible with their own front door and en-suite bathroom facilities for as long as possible.

"This framework sets out how we can meet older people's wishes and the expectations of the government.

"The council will offer all current residents of council-run care homes a guarantee that they will continue to receive a place in residential care."

If approved, the closure programme would be phased in as sheltered accommodation is built.

Care support for elderly people already in their own homes would also be increased.