2,000-Signature Petition Handed To Council In Bid To Save Lake District Care Home.
A 96-year-old resident has handed a 2,000-name petition to Westmorland and Furness Council as campaigners continue efforts to prevent the closure of Applethwaite Green Care Home in Windermere.
Margaret Mason, who lives at Applethwaite Green, presented the petition to Councillor Patricia Bell, the council's cabinet member for adult care, during a meeting attended by dozens of campaigners. Ms Mason said the care home was her home and also the home of many other residents, adding that she wanted the facility to remain a care home.
The council is considering the future of the 27-bed facility, which was built around 50 years ago. The authority has previously described the building as functionally obsolete and financially unsustainable. A public consultation attracted 254 responses, with several options considered, including doing nothing, refurbishment, demolition and rebuilding, or closure.
A further proposal emerged during the consultation for the building to be refurbished in phases, potentially allowing residents to remain in the home rather than being moved elsewhere during the work. According to the consultation findings, 164 respondents, representing 66 per cent of those taking part, supported a full refurbishment. A further six per cent backed a more limited refurbishment aimed at retaining local care provision while reducing disruption.
Council reports have highlighted several challenges at Applethwaite Green, including reduced occupancy, recruitment difficulties, reliance on agency staff and the need to bring the building up to modern regulatory standards. At the time of an earlier report, the home had 16 permanent residents.
The council has estimated that bringing the care home up to modern standards, including providing en-suite rooms, could cost between £2.5 million and £3 million. However, council officers have said the refurbishment work would be highly intrusive and that it could not be carried out on a phased basis in the way campaigners have proposed. Campaigners, residents, relatives and former staff members spoke in support of the home during the scrutiny meeting, highlighting its importance to older people and the wider Windermere community.
The Health and Adults Scrutiny Committee has now passed nine recommendations for the council's cabinet to consider. These include a further assessment of refurbishment options, publication of comparative financial information, an assessment of future care demand and consideration of the impact any closure or relocation could have on residents and the local community. The recommendations are due to be considered by the council's cabinet on October 13, when the future of Applethwaite Green will remain under discussion.
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