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Charity hands back care home as rent soars 62% (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Charity hands back care home as rent soars 62%
8:00am Wednesday 27th January 2010
A CHARITY is handing back an old people’s home to Bournemouth council, claiming that a 62 per cent rent hike makes it no longer financially viable.
Now elderly residents at Draper House in Kinson, including a 97-year-old woman, are facing the upheaval of having to move to new accommodation.
Draper House was one of 18 homes transferred from Dorset County Council to the Dorset Trust in 1991. Ownership of seven passed to Bournemouth council six years later.
The terms of the 25-year lease to the charity, renamed Care South in 2005, included rent reviews every five years. The terms of the lease require vacant possession.
Judith Geddes, executive director of Bourne-mouth’s adult and community services, said: “The decision to terminate the lease has been made by Care South.
“The rental increase has been set by an independent expert and takes into account market rent. In the last review no increase was applied.
“The council’s main priority is the care and wellbeing of residents and we will work in partnership with Care South to ensure each and every resident is safeguarded and comfortably moved into new residential care.”
The trust says the changes will be made when the weather improves and the residents have had time to accept the move.
Susan Willoughby, chief executive of Care South, said: “We are sorry that this situation exists and has come about by the large increase in rent and the fact that local authority payments for residents are not commensurate.
“Draper House is one of the older homes with no en-suite facilities and no longer meets the need of the community.
“Competition now offers en-suite facilities and caters for dementia and nursing in order to cope with the greater frailty of older people when they enter residential care.”
She added: “We will do everything to make all moves as easy as possible for residents and staff and will offer everyone a place in another Care South home.”
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Your Say YourEcho
Marcus James, Poole says...
12:33pm Wed 27 Jan 10
The worrying thing is that if a Charity that has far greater benefits than a "Normal Private Care Home" cannot survive then what hope do the other homes in the area have?
The Echo reported on the local hospitals having beds blocked by people that should be in Care Homes yet they are still stuck there.
Its simple really whilst they are in hospital it doesn't cost the Social Services anything.
It’s disgusting that our most vulnerable Elderly members of society get treated like this whilst the councils waste millions on other things!
Gastines, St.Malo says...
2:46pm Wed 27 Jan 10
upontown, poole says...
8:51pm Wed 27 Jan 10
I'm sooo glad I don't live in Bournemouth, everyday there's something cr@ppy going on....
Henry Bear, Ferndown says...
10:57pm Wed 27 Jan 10
Was this not in the contract?
grimreaper, Ensbury Park says...
11:28pm Wed 27 Jan 10
.
oneshortleg, kinson says...
7:47am Thu 28 Jan 10
verwoodgirl, kinson says...
10:44pm Thu 28 Jan 10
Tony Hollis, says...
5:08pm Fri 29 Jan 10
verwoodgirl wrote:I am shocked an appalled that the generation i was brought up to treat with respect and dignity are being treated in in such a way .I understand that some of these residents are classed as elderly/ frail and a move could have devastating circumstances.How can the council justify paying £7.5 million pounds on an eyesore and not pay to refurbish a home (although not fit for purpose) that provides care for the elderly I also understand the home in question has had difficulties is this the real reason they have decided to close down after all this is not the only care home that is leased to Care South by the Local Authority
i would like to quote 'The trust says the changes will be made when the waether improves and the residents have had time to accept the move' How is this when they only have 6weeks till they will be moved, how is that give them or thier familys for that the time to accept this,! Also the quoting of 97 year old woman, when im sure as a demtia/resident based care home there will be criticly ill men/woman who will not live through the move because of the stress! And i hardly believe that all staff will be placed in others homes im sure the carers will be fitted in easily but what about the domestics,seniors and managers. This home used to have a good name and now all you will hear is bad comments i heardly think thats all staffs fault maybe they should be looking at managment, Draper house has been slowing drivin in to the ground and i find it hard to believe they raised the rent by 62% with out justifiying that mager increase. There is defently more to this and im looking towards managment! I just hope they do staff everyone and the elderly make it through this and noone end up with out their jobs!
johnhe, bournemouth says...
1:51pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Please be more informative as to your plans for
the Draper House site.
Will Care South continue also with further closures
of other homes in the future because of lack of en suite
facilities.
To close a good home as Draper
House with the huge amount of
anquish this will cause to residents, families of residents and last
but not least the staff who dedicate many hours, is uncaring
Care South aren't living up to their
name
disapointed from bournemouth
Scott59, Bournemouth says...
3:49pm Mon 1 Feb 10
computergirl, bournemouth says...
9:27pm Wed 3 Feb 10
visited the Draper House care home
to visit an old friend and was shocked
and horrified to read in the paper
of this lovely home closing.
I too like many people feel there is
more to this that meets the eye
and in common with many other people some truthful answers please
Bournemouth Council and Care South
A crying shame
Bournemouth
factuality, Alderholt says...
12:20pm Fri 5 Feb 10
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Gastines, St.Malo says...
9:58am Wed 27 Jan 10
As Care-South have had the premises for some years and we are advised that the lack of facilities do not meet todays standards,surely that means that the property has not been kept up to standard or let to run down on purpose?I presume these premises are inspected on a regular basis to see they meet standards or is this another case of " We didn't see that coming". It seems that care of the elderly ,or any obligation to care for the elderly is the last thing on the Government and Council budget.