THE SWATHING cuts or 'tough choices' made by Devon County Council bit hard this week, with news that Harewood House residential home in Tavistock is earmarked to be shut down.

Day centre services at the site and the town's Molly Owen Centre also face major changes.

In a report by the county council into its care services, it said that: 'Despite considerable efforts to drive down costs, the council is now proposing to join the majority of councils in ceasing their provision of residential care and instead purchasing care in the private sector; becoming the commissioner of care, rather than the provider.'

There are 35 staff employed at Harewood House and a 'collective consultation' period is in progress.

The home currently has 17 long stay residents, 12 women and five men, as well as six other elderly people in for a short stay. The age range is between 74 and 100 years, with five clients suffering with dementia, three with physical disability and three visually impaired.

The closure plan is part of the county council's bid to save £110 million over the next four years because of cuts in Government funding.

However this provided no comfort to those who could be affected by the closures.

One man, whose mother is a residential patient at Harewood House, talked to the Times but did not wish to be named. He said he was very concerned for his mother — she is 96, suffers from dementia and is confined to a wheelchair.

'They get into a routine and anything else just destabilises them and they get very agitated and distressed,' he said.

'Those that make these decisions are probably very fortunate people who have not had to deal with a close relative who has suffered from dementia.

'My mother forgets things in about 15 minutes; they could break the news that she has to move from what she considers her home and a quarter of an hour later you will have to tell her all over again the distressing news.

'At Harewood House she is settled in her routine and knows the staff and they know her. Take that away and she just won't understand why. She wants to be with her friends, not just stuck somewhere which is completely unfamiliar to her.

'We have no idea where she is going to be moved to but wherever it is, she needs specialist care, not a nursing home. It needs to be properly secured.

He praised the staff and management for their work but realised that the future of the centre was out of their hands.

He added: 'The loss of Harewood House is a major loss to the whole of the Tavistock community and will affect many families in the area one way or another.

'I'm not convinced that an acceptable alternative will be found in the Tavistock area for those unfortunately suffering from dementia.

'I will never forget what a relief it was five years ago when we found a place for mother at Harewood House and how traumatic it was at the time.

'So knowing that, I'm now dreading all the trauma the upheaval will cause to her if she has to be moved again.'

UNISON, which represents some of the care staff at Harewood House in Tavistock, said it would be meeting staff and management this week.

Steve Ryles, UNISON Devon branch secretary, said the union would be doing all it could to save its members' jobs and to avoid a major upheaval for residents and day care users of the care homes.

Mr Ryles blamed the Government for forcing the council to make drastic budget cuts, leading to the reduction of so many services.

'These cuts are like a snowball running downhill and out of control,' he said.

'First of all our members expressed disbelief, then shock before downright anger.

'Our argument is not with the county council because they have been shafted by the Government.'

The union is organising meetings across residential centres and day cares across the county in the next two weeks and is urging its members who work there, other staff, residents affected and their family and friends, to contact their local councillors and Members of Parliament to fight to keep the centres open.

'Care centres like Harewood House employ loyal staff who are very dedicated and trained to look after the elderly and vulnerable.

'Harewood House has an impeccable reputation and for its residents, it is their home and it would be wrong to uproot them —especially people with dementia who depend on routine.

'Where do those who lose their jobs go to find other work, when there are none to go to?

'It will also have an impact on local businesses as staff will not have the money they earned to spend in the local community.

'The closure of Harewood House and the day centre and other such centres around Devon should not be allowed to happen. If it does there are no winners, especially the elderly and vulnerable.'

The council is also proposing to reduce its 35 days centres in Devon to nine — one of which is at Harewood House.

One twice-a-week user of this centre said it would be 'devasting' if the care centre was to close.

Joyce Metters, 86, said: 'There are people there who used it five times a week and if it wasn't for the centre some people would not get out of the house.

'Everybody is upset about it because it's such a lovely centre and there must be 20 people who use it daily to meet, with staff to attend to our needs. They also provide entertainment.

'You have trained people to care and there are proper toilet facilities for the disabled.

'It would be such a shame to close it down. There is rumour of us going to Crelake but we don't want just to sit around there and talk, we are happy here.

'We can't go around with banners and make our protest because we are not that active anymore but we don't want to see our Harewood House close down.'

Council facilities for the elderly are not the only ones facing uncertainty under the current proposals — the Molly Owen Day Centre for adults with learning disabilities is also in the firing line.

The county claims the centre is underused and not cost effective. It also says both Harewood House and the Molly Owen Centre have an opportunity to share facilities that already exist in Tavistock.

However, Debo Sellis, the county councillor for the Tavistock ward and vice chairman of the county's health, wellbeing overview scrutiny committee, said the authority was being open with its findings and urged people to make their comments known to the council.

She told the Times: 'I can honestly say I don't know whether it's going to happen yet and it's still open to consultation.

'There is no doubt the numbers using the day centres are down compared to 2005 and those that used the day centres chose instead to spend their time, for example, maybe line dancing, having a pub lunch, going to the Memory Cafe or even staying at home and watching Sky TV.'

Cllr Sellis said planned alterations to the social services building at Abbey Rise could lead to an alternative venue for some day care services in the town.

She Sellis said that because of the economic demands on the council, changes had to be made 'but a way would be found to deliver statutory obligations with the most effective, economic provisions to stand the test of time'.

She emphasised that any changes will be done with the utmost sensitivity for those vulnerable people using the services.

'It is a sensitive issue. We have to be careful how we go about any changes. People using the Molly Owen Centre really look forward to it and to many it's a lifeline.

'As a council these are horrible times we are experiencing.'

Comments can be sent to the Senior Manager, Adult Provider Service, Room 115a, County Hall, Exeter EX2 4QD by March 26.