TURFED OUT
Elderly residents get just six hours’ notice
Residents of a collapsed care home were forced to grab their belongings and leave - with as little as six hours warning.
The shameful scenes unfolded on Monday and involved some of the most elderly in our community.
Mathieson House in Ayr is owned by the Church of Scotland, but run by an independent charity with members of the clergy on the Board.
Liquidators are understood to have been called in.
And Eleanor Bowman, whose 90 year- old mother lived at Mathieson House, said: “It’s absolutely shocking the way the board has treated the residents.
“We thought we had a month to prepare.
“But we were out in hours.”
Vulnerable residents at a care home were told to pack up their belongings and leave with as little as six hours notice.
The Church of Scotlandowned building in Ayr closed suddenly on Monday night.
Stunned residents and their relatives were advised to make arrangements to move out the same day.
Mathieson House in Broomfield Road was a charity run by Church volunteers, and was the only site in Ayr to offer assisted living accommodation.
It offered independent living for older people combined with care, support and security and operated for the last 21 years.
It is understood the board of directors pulled the plug after the charity sunk into a cash crisis. Now liquidators have been summoned.
The closure affects at least four elderly residents, some in their 90s and with specific care requirements, who have been forced to seek alternative accommodation.
One resident has been relocated to Rozelle but others have been left “sick with worry” and distressed over the closure.
Rumours of the closure started to emerge on Friday.
Eleanor Bowman, whose mother was a resident, said: “It is absolutely shocking how residents have been treated by the board.
“This is a horrendous situation. The board have done nothing to make sure the four residents find suitable accommodation. It’s been left to families.
“Where are these residents going to be placed until they find other accommodation?
“My mother has been ill with all the stress of where she will go to the point where she’s been at the doctors three times in one week. She feels she is being put out on the street.”
Evelyn Johnston, whose 88 year- old mother- in- law Mary was a resident, said: “We knew the place was closing but we thought we had a month to prepare.
“Social work phoned me at 10am on Monday to say my mother- in- law had to be out that day.
“It’s not social work I blame for this. It’s the board of directors at Mathieson House.
“It’s an absolutely disgraceful way to treat an 88- year- old lady.”
Acouncil spokesperson said: “South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership are actively supporting the individuals identified with interim placements and will continue to support these individuals in relation to their housing and care needs.”
The partnership were told on Friday that Mathieson House had gone into liquidation.
All eight staff were due to leave on Monday.
Two of the home’s four residents were in hospital.
A spokesperson for the directors of Mathieson House said: “Mathieson House has offered a wonderful caring service to residents for 21 years and as a non- profit organisation, has re- invested any surplus into improvements of the building and facilities for the benefit of residents.
“Following a difficult operational period, which saw the number of residents at Mathieson House drop significantly in the last 12 months, the directors took an extremely difficult decision to close the care home.
“This has not been done lightly and it is with great regret that due to financial pressures no other option was available.
“The board of directors would like to thank the staff of Mathieson House for their care in supporting the residents over the years.”
Ayr West councillor Siobhian Brown said: “I have visited Mathieson House in recent weeks and board members raised concerns for the future.
“I’m aware South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership have been working alongside the provider in recent weeks.”
Mathieson House was given to the Church of Scotland in 1979 by Elizabeth Mathieson.
She wanted the property to be used for elderly people of independent spirit, who would be offered personally serviced accommodation.
The building is owned by Crossreach, the care arm of the Church of Scotland.