Funding boost for heating at Leven dementia care centre

One of Fife’s largest providers of specialist dementia care has been granted almost £12,000 to help it heat its building.

Arden House in Leven, which has been providing services for retired people in Levenmouth for 25 years, has been spending a huge amount of money on keeping its premises warm.

There is no heating at all on the upper floors and only a limited amount downstairs.

The grant from Fife Council will go towards a new heating system and further funding will be applied for to meet the total needed.

Services provided by Arden House include day care for older people at risk of social isolation due to complex health issues, as well as specialist dementia day care and support and advice for carers.

In all, it has 160 clients who visit five days per week.

Members of Fife Council’s Levenmouth area committee heard the heating situation was becoming a matter of urgency.

SNP councillor David Alexander, the council’s coleader, said: “They are spending far too much on heating.

“The quicker this goes in, the quicker we can save them a significant amount of money.

“They’re not well in terms of finances and their balances are low.”

He added: “They don’t put the heating on upstairs, that’s the situation right now.”

Committee convener, SNP councillor Ken Caldwell, added: “These projects are essential to many of the older members of our community.

“We understand sometimes these essential repairs can put a strain on these finances and we are therefore only too glad to be able to ease the burden and help to ensure that Arden House has a sustainable future.”