Relatives of dementia patients at a threatened Fartown care home want to delay closure until all residents have been found new homes.
Abbey Place Dementia Care Home in Abbey Road gave families just a month’s notice of plans to shut.
They have until November 28 to find new homes but there is a shortage of so-called Elderly Mental Infirm (EMI) nursing beds in Kirklees.
Relatives organised a meeting at a Fartown pub yesterday to set up a group to fight the closure.
Spokesman Sharon Harrison, 42, of Fartown, said a petition would be launched along with a Facebook group.
“Our aim is to keep relatives informed of what’s happening and also provide a voice for those residents who don’t have loved ones to speak up for them,” she said.
“We feel the residents should stay in Kirklees but there aren’t enough beds.
“What we want is for the home to delay the closure until all the residents have been found new homes.”
Residents at the meeting were concerned that no-one had told them what would happen to patients who hadn’t anywhere to go to when the home shut.
Mrs Harrison, whose 84-year-old mother-in-law Edna has been at the home for two years, added: “It is really unsettling for the residents and their families.
“It can take months for dementia patients to settle in new surroundings and because we only have a month there can be no transition period or trial to see if that home is suitable.”
The home is run by Harrogate-based Orchard Care Homes which has blamed Kirklees Council for not providing enough funds for dementia patients. The council has denied the claims.
Mrs Harrsion said the relatives would be contacting local councillors and wanted the closure putting back until after Christmas.
Keith Smith, assistant director for commissioning and health partnerships at Kirklees Council, said: “At present there are over 200 registered specialist dementia nursing beds in Kirklees, with additional beds in surrounding local authority areas.
“As the number of older people continues to grow we have been encouraging providers to expand their provision to offer families the widest choice of care provision.
“Council and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) staff are working closely with families on an individual basis to find appropriate placements to meet need.
“The proposed closure of this facility has placed a specific demand on available places, which the CCG and the council are working to address.
“We are, of course, continuing to work closely with the owners of Abbey Place to ensure that any moves from the home are carefully planned and co-ordinated and meet the needs of individual residents.
“They have indicated to us that despite the formal contractual notice period, there will be appropriate flexibility as their primary concern remains the needs of the residents.”
