Care home residents 'treated like commodities'

Sophie Maziere's mother has had to move out of Roseland Court to a new care home in Truro

Elderly people forced to move out of a care home in Cornwall have been treated like "commodities", their families have said.

The company that runs Roseland Court in Tregony announced last month it would close the care home to create space for 24 new retirement homes for people to rent or buy.

More than 30 residents were given three months to find alternative accommodation - with just eight now remaining there.

The Retirement Villages Group (RVG) said the closure was a "last resort" but would allow investment to extend and improve the facilities at the Roseland Parc site.

Residents at Roseland Court were given just three months to find alternative accommodation

Steph Brown, 60, is one of the residents still looking for a new home.

"I've found nowhere suitable because my [wheel] chair is too big," she said.

"You can't sleep at night because you're worried where you're going and it's really frightening going to a new place."

Sophie Meziere said her 88-year-old mother, who has Alzheimer's disease and cancer, had found a new home in Truro.

She said the process of securing a new property was "heart-breaking".

"She can't communicate or speak properly so there's no way of knowing how she's coping so it's really distressing," she said.

"The fact we only had 90 days puts you between a rock and a hard place - because if you find a bed you feel like you have to take it but you don't want to move your relative.

"The residents have been treated like commodities. They are splitting apart a family, a community who support each other."

'Last resort'

RVG said in a statement it would "continue to keep the care home operational until every resident is safely relocated".

"To enable our villages to provide a quality, supportive and community environment, they must be able to operate in a financially and strategically viable manner," it said.

"RVG will always consider all options and closing a service is always the route of last resort."

Cornwall Council said it had been has working with NHS Cornwall to support residents, families and staff affected by the closure.

"We're pleased to say nearly all the residents have found alternative homes that will give them the care and support they need. Work is ongoing to support the remaining residents," it said.