Care Home For Elderly Can Stay Four More Years

A Burnley care home has been given a stay of execution for another four years. Lower Ridge Home for the Elderly was the only home in Burnley to be left open after the controversial review of residential care homes in 2002. It was given a limited four-year reprieve while several other homes were closed down.

Woodside Home for the Elderly in Padiham was the only home in the borough to totally stave off closure. It underwent a £1m. makeover, which included the addition of a unit for people suffering from dementia.

Now Lancashire County Council has decided to keep Lower Ridge open for a further four years.

In 2002, the home was upgraded to meet new national standards and it will now have a new sprinkler system installed.
County Coun. Chris Cheetham, Cabinet member for adult and community services, said that another review will be carried out in 2010.

County Coun. Cheetham said: “The needs of communities are always changing and four years ago I planned to look again at these care homes to assess whether they continue to provide what people want. Care homes are also operated by private companies which means people can choose whether or not to use the county council’s services, so I must review our care homes to ensure they provide for any gaps in need.

“I am very pleased that these homes are still providing an excellent service which is highly valued by older people and their families and which the county council will continue to support.”