SIR,
I am concerned at the inaccuracy in your headline in last week's Beacon 'Care home to be demolished' with reference to the changes being proposed relating to Trevor Bowen Court (TBC).
A 'care home' would be a nursing home with a high ratio of staff/resident levels and a qualified nurse always in attendance, or a residential home with slightly less requirements.
This has caused great embarrassment to many residents living at TBC who lead normal lives in every way – like their neighbours in separate housing all around them.
Please do not think that residents at Trevor Bowen Court are in any way different from anyone else in the community.
TBC is a sheltered scheme, and over the years has had a wide cross section of residents, some young and active and others needing higher levels of support, again just like other people in the community.
The reason some people come into sheltered accommodation is because of the lack of suitable accommodation available elsewhere.
Sheltered schemes do offer security for all residents, and especially for vulnerable people but residents only get the input they require – knowing that help is there if ever needed. A facility I think everyone could benefit from in an ideal world.
Having, until recently, run a sheltered scheme for the last 12 years I think they are brilliant places, offering a feeling of safety and community. Unfortunately, government policy now seems to be to dismantle this service - which is something they will come to regret in the future.
Maureen Kent
(Monmouth)