Care home Waterloo House to close next spring

DISABLED residents who have lived in a Roseland care facility for up to 30 years will have to find new homes when the service closes next spring.
Waterloo House, a care home for people with learning disabilities in St Mawes, will close on March 14 due to financial issues.

The specialist home, which has the capacity to house eight adults, currently cares for six residents aged between 20 and 80.

In a letter to the West Briton, Shelley Law wrote: “It is regretful to hear that Waterloo House is having to close due to funding issues. Some residents have lived there for nearly 30 years and are now in their seventies. They have become part of the community and will be greatly missed.

“Hopefully, with support, alternative accommodation will be found for these vulnerable members of society who just want to live out their days among people who know and care for them, and will not be, as has been suggested, sent to distant towns where they could become lonely and isolated.”

Waterloo House is owned by Westcountry Housing Association and care has been provided for residents by the learning disability charity Mencap for more than 20 years.

In consultation with Cornwall Council, Westcountry Housing Association and Mencap agreed that continuing to run the home did not make financial sense.

Melanie Welsher, Mencap regional operations manager for the South West, said: “Due to a lack of referrals to the property and the fact that people aren’t opting to live in the house because of its rural location and poor transport links, unfortunately it’s not financially viable to continue the service.”

Cornwall Council has echoed the charity’s message and both have promised to rehouse the six residents and move staff to nearby jobs.

Liz Nichols, senior manager for strategic commissioning at Cornwall Council, said: “Waterloo House can cater for eight people; there are two long standing vacancies and two further residents have decided to move out, so this is an appropriate point to make this decision.

“With Mencap, we are talking to the remaining residents and their families individually to determine their future housing and support needs.”