Royal Road Day Care Centre for the elderly under threat of closure

Day centre misery

Mar 21 2003
By Jon Ryder

South London Press

A DAY centre for the elderly will be shut down if councillors decide it can be sacrificed to save cash.

Royal Road Day Care Centre in Kennington caters for pensioners during the week and offers specialist care for dementia sufferers at the weekends.

But clients and their families have been told the doors could soon close for good.

Kim Beaumont's mother goes to the centre. She told the South London Press a lot of families were very concerned for the future. "People are really upset about it and nobody knows what's going on," she said. "They say everyone will be found alternative places, but a lot of people really like it there and have been going for quite some time.

"It feels like this could be just the start and that a lot of places will soon be closed down to save the council's budget."

A spokeswoman for the Southwark council said: "Southwark council is currently carrying out a consultation exercise as part of the modernisation of its community care day services.

"One element of this consultation is the possible closure of Royal Road Day Care Centre. However, no decision will be taken until the outcome of the consultation is considered by the council's executive committee in May.

"The welfare of older people in the borough who need community day care will be at the core of any decision made by the council."

She added: "Everyone who is assessed as needing a day care service will be provided with one."

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