Care home cuts blasted
PLANS to axe hundreds of care home places in Glasgow have been slammed by opposition councillors.
A total of 215 places are being cut this year as part of a shake-up of services.
HUNDREDS of care home places are to be cut in Glasgow in a shake-up of elderly care.
Opposition councillors criticised the plan but the council administration said it is a result of improved post-hospital care.
The city’s health and social care partnership will cut 215 care-home places this year as part of a transformation programme.
The move is part of a bid to promote independent living among the elderly and vulnerable residents.
The plan was discussed by councillors as part of an “age-friendly city strategy”.
Jim Kavanagh, Labour councillor for Glasgow, said: “We’ve seen a significant demise in sheltered housing where providers have de-sheltered the homes and sold them off.
“The council has done its utmost to provide people with independent living but there comes a time when older people cannot live independently and have to go into a care home.”
He spoke of his own family’s experience of the care system.
Mr Kavanagh added: “I kept my mum as long as I could in a house but she’s in care now and she’s happy.
“I’m a wee bit surprised that 215 care-home places will be withdrawn.
“There are 215 people who will need a care home next year.”
Martin Bartos, a Green councillor, said: “If we look at the possibility that there will always be people who require care-home support, some of this begins to smack of NHS planning of a couple of decades ago when there was a big reduction in beds.
“The technology arrived but the demand also increased and there wasn’t the capacity.
“If we allow a process which blindly accepts a reduction, are we likely to be setting ourselves up for exactly the same problem?”
In response, the SNP’s Mhairi Hunter, chair of the Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Once people come out of hospital they are put into immediate care, are re-abled then go back into their homes. That’s why there is a reduction.
“It’s because it enables older people to live at home for longer.”
As part of the age-friendly strategy, a web page with information on services and activities will be created for elderly people.
There are also plans to make Council Tax bills and other council documents available in more age-friendly formats.