Shock as homes close

Seventeen residents of Fairwater Nursing Home, in Coopers Lane, Evesham, are to leave by the end of September, while another 17, at The Paddock Rest Home, in Worcester Road, Pershore, are set to move out by the time it closes its doors on Saturday.

Escalating costs of providing care for the elderly, coupled with increasing legislation, have been blamed for the closures of the homes, which are independent of each other.

Forty-two staff at Fairwater will lose their jobs, while 18 will suffer a similar fate at The Paddock.

Fairwater, opened in 1987, is owned by Peter and Katrina Davidson.

"I think we just feel that we have worked really hard over the years to provide quality care," said Mrs Davidson.

"With the many changes in national government policy impacting on what we're doing, combined with the lack of adequate resources for the state-supported patients, we just feel we have reached the end of the road with what we can achieve."

Mr Davidson, who is vice-chairman of the Worcestershire Nursing Home Owners' Association, said efforts were being made to find alternative places for residents, while staff were seeking new jobs.

Amanda Charles-Smith, manager of The Paddock Rest Home, which has been in operation for 15 years, said: "The home became too small to be viable, which is a shame, because everybody was very happy here.

"It was thriving professionally, but not thriving financially. Then we had to ask people to pay top-ups and they couldn't afford to or weren't prepared to."

She said the announcement of the closure had come as a shock to residents and staff.

"It was very emotional but we realised we had to be professional about it and do our best for the residents," she said.

Alternative accommodation has been found for the residents. Eight have gone to The Heathlands, in Station Road, Pershore, which has also recruited around half the Paddock staff made redundant by the closure.