Proposals to consult on the future of residential care homes and day opportunities for older people in Erewash and beyond are set to be considered by Derbyshire County Council.
On Monday 29th April, Cabinet will be asked to consider seeking people’s views on proposals to redesign the way it delivers residential care and day services for older people.
Members of the Cabinet will discuss a report outlining the financial challenges facing the council which is one of the largest local authority providers of residential care homes in the country.
Like many authorities across the country, the council is facing budgetary pressures far greater than experienced before, due to factors beyond its control. These include dealing with higher than anticipated inflation, higher prices for fuel, energy and materials and continued unprecedented increase in demand for adults’ and children’s social care services.
The report describes the decline in demand for traditional residential care as more people are choosing to stay in their homes as long as possible. This means that people who require residential care are frailer and have more complex needs, such as dementia.
Currently, one in 11 people in Derbyshire over 65 are living with dementia, with the number set to grow. This means there’s a growing demand for specialist care services for people with dementia, the report adds.
To ensure the council can support the future care and support needs of the people of Derbyshire and make the savings it needs, Cabinet will be asked to agree to consult on two options for the creation of a new model of residential and day care.
The model would focus on short-term enablement for older people and specialist services for people with dementia and their carers, offering a mix of specialist dementia care and respite care to support their carers, including integrated and flexible specialist dementia day services.
Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for adult care Councillor Natalie Hoy said: “People tell us that they want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, and with the right help and support, they can. This has led to a decline in demand for traditional residential care.
“With a growing number of people in Derbyshire living with dementia, we need to focus our resources on having the right options to support them and their carers, which would give us the resources needed to meet demand while ensuring adult care and health is sustainable so we can continue to support people who need us most.”
Cabinet will be asked to consider consulting on two options:
Option 1
- Retain seven care homes, transforming them into specialist dementia care centres. Five have on-site, day centres. This model would offer a flexible, consistent offer of short-term enablement, long-term care for people with dementia and respite day and night for carers of people with dementia. Plans include to retain Lacemaker Court in Long Eaton amongst other sites.
- Cease to operate nine care homes including the recently refurbished Briar Close, Borrowash plus Bennerley Fields, Cotmanhay amongst other sites.
- Cease to operate eight day centres in North Derbyshire.
Option 2
- Retain five care homes, transforming them into specialist dementia care centres. Three have on-site day centres. This model would offer a flexible, consistent offer of short-term enablement, long-term care for people with dementia and respite day and night for carers of people with dementia, retaining particular sites in Belper, Darley Dale, Swadlincote, Staveley and Buxton.
- Cease to operate 11 care homes including the previously mentioned Briar Close, Borrowash, Bennerley Fields, Cotmanhay and Lacemaker Court, Long Eaton.
- Cease to operate eight day centres – as in Option 1.
Councillor Natalie Hoy said: “We’ve always prided ourselves on being a well-managed council but like all other councils across the country we’re facing increasing financial pressures that are outside our control, and with demand for adult social care support rising, it means we have to consider how we continue to deliver the services we’re required to.
“This is not a position we want to be in, but with the pressures on budgets beyond our control we need to focus our resources where they’re needed most.”
Councillor Hoy added: “I’d like to reassure everyone, especially our residents and clients, their families and carers, that these are proposals only and, if Cabinet agrees to consult, no decisions would be made until everyone’s views were taken into account.”