Protest against care home closure

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Howard Grant's elderly mother Mair lives in the Troed y Ton care home.

Protesters have held a demonstration to save a care home which families say offers a "fabulous" service.

Troed y Ton in Kenfig Hill near Bridgend could shut by September but opponents gathered at a council meeting on Tuesday to voice their concern.

An action group has been set up and campaigners have gathered thousands of names for a petition.

Bridgend County Borough Council said it was consulting the home's 22 residents before making a final decision.

In a statement, the council said it had to "address the future needs of an ageing society" and the extra care housing that would replace Troed y Ton would offer more independence for older people.

The council also said its consultation with residents and their families included a "full assessment of their needs" and a "risk assessment which takes into account the impact that the potential closure may have on them".

We can't give up, it's such a lovely place Howard Grant

Howard Grant, whose 88-year-old mother Mair has dementia and lives at the home, said the protest at the council's offices in Bridgend was a success, attracting almost 100 people.

"It got the point across big time and it was well worth it," he said.

"We will keep it up now. We're going to organise another demonstration and there's going to be a public meeting."

Mr Grant said closing the home would be "disgusting" and the community would continue to oppose it.

"People in Kenfig Hill are totally gobsmacked and upset by it," he said.

"The staff there are not staff, they are family. They're fantastic girls.

"We're going to put up a real good battle. We can't give up, it's such a lovely place."

Leader of Bridgend council, Councillor Mel Nott, said: "It is important that those people most affected by the proposals for Troed y Ton are able to express their views, and today was one such opportunity.

"I fully respect and sympathise with the range of feelings associated with the proposals and I was able to speak to some of the people present today, albeit briefly."

He said the council was determined that Troed y Ton's future was handled "with the utmost care and sensitivity" but there was a duty to "consider the long-term needs of an ageing population who want to live independently for longer".

Mair Grant, 88, had expected to spend the rest of her life at the care home

Ian Jacka from Kenfig Hill, whose wife works at the home, set up an action group to campaign to keep it open and helped organise the demonstration.

He said Troed y Ton provided a "first-class service" to residents and the community was "incensed" by plans to close it.

"On the face of it, it's the closure of a care home and you might not think it's a big deal but we don't think the council has looked at the issue closely enough," he said.

"There's no other local authority home in the Pyle, Kenfig Hill, Cornelly and Cefn Cribwr areas."

He said nobody was against the plan for the new extra care housing, but it should not be built on the Troed y Ton site.

Extra care housing is similar to sheltered housing but offers residents more support with daily living to allow older people to remain independent.

But the new accommodation would not be suitable for Troed y Ton residents, said Mr Jacka.

Remain independent

Bridgend council said any decision about whether Troed y Ton residents would move into the new accommodation, the first of its type in the county borough, would be based on "individual assessment".

It said there was an over-provision of residential care and it was trying to develop a wider range of housing options.

If the council agrees to proceed with the closure, Troed y Ton's residents would have to move out by September, while the new housing scheme is expected to be completed by April 2011.

Sarah Stone, deputy commissioner for older people in Wales, said she was "very concerned" about how care home closures were managed.

She said: "We know that for frail older people, a move can be very serious and very negative and people sometimes don't survive it."

Michael Phillips, of Age Concern Cymru, called for a range of options for elderly people based on individual needs.

He added: "We don't think the system has enough funding."