A NURSING home caring for people with dementia is to close.

Relatives of people at Green View House were told four days before Christmas that the Gledholt nursing home will close in early January.

But because of the Christmas holidays they’ve been left in limbo waiting for information about alternative accommodation.

The home has a large number of residents with dementia and other mental health issues and the decision affects around 26 people who will need to move.

It has upset relatives of people in the home and one, who did not wish to be named, said: “We got a phone call on Tuesday, December 20, saying there was a meeting for relatives on Wednesday. December 21.

“We went along and a woman, who I think was the owner, said the home was closing on January 12.

“Everybody looked shocked and there were people crying.

“Staff were in tears, it was a horrible feeling, a horrible atmosphere.

“I hear there were staffing issues but no-one will tell us anything.

“Someone from Kirklees took over the meeting and said that everyone would be allocated a social worker.

“We want to find somewhere quickly but we have to wait until Wednesday, December 28, when social services come back from Christmas.”

The Examiner phoned the care home, which is privately-run, yesterday to ask them to comment on the closure.

A member of staff said: “Nobody will make a comment”.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “We have been in close discussions with the home owner and are working to ensure that the residents are found appropriate residential care.

“We are well aware that we need to treat each case sensitively and that is why we spoke with relatives and the residents at the first opportunity.

“We will ensure that care and their needs are understood and met.”

The timing of the announcement to families was out of the hands of the council as the home is privately owned and run.

Green View House is a care home with nursing capacity for up to 33 people who have a diagnosis of a dementia or other mental health care needs.

The home, run by a Ms C Detraux, is based in a large Victorian building in Gledholt, which stands within its own grounds.

Weekly charges vary from £400 to £500 for single personal care and or £350 to £450 for a shared room.

In September 2011 the Care Quality Commission published a report, based on a July inspection, which was largely positive.

The report says staffing levels were described as “adequate” and that “People felt safe and respected by the staff team. People are protected from abuse or the risk of abuse by a trained and attentive staff team.”

But the CQC’S overall judgement was that the home needed to make improvements as there was an “unacceptable level of odour present in the home”.

In February last year Green View House was among 35 homes from across the country to be recognised for its quality end of life care.

They were recognised at the national Gold Standards Framework For Care Homes training programme (GSFCH) aims for ‘gold’ standard care to be provided.