'I found out mum's dementia day centre was closing on Facebook'

Victoria Bailey said she was angry at the council’s decision to shut care homes respite day centres

Supplied A close-up picture of Victoria Bailey. She has dark red hair and is looking into the camera. — Victoria Bailey said she was angry at the council’s decision to shut care homes respite day centres

The daughter of a woman with dementia said her tears “very quickly turned to anger” after she found out her mother’s respite centre was closing from Facebook.

Victoria Bailey’s mother Pat attends the Jubilee Centre in New Mills, Derbyshire, three times a week so her father David can have a break from providing full-time care.

Derbyshire County Council has said it is plans to close and sell eight care homes and five day centres in an effort to save money and remodel its services.

Victoria told the BBC: “This is devastating… I don’t know how we can tell Mum, she’ll be so upset.”

Mrs Bailey was diagnosed with the condition in 2016 not long after she retired.

She attends the centre in her home town to participate in a range of activities including arts and crafts, bingo and gardening – which her family said was a “lifeline”.

Victoria said she asked her sister to check Facebook where a campaign group had been posting updates and sharing support.

Her sister then found someone had created a post in the group which showed council documents which state it plans to close the centre.

The council’s cabinet will discuss the plans at a meeting on Thursday 14 November.

Victoria’s father David Bailey is the full-time carer for her mother Pat, 74, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2016

Supplied Head and shoulders shot of Pat Bailey on the right and her husband David Bailey. They are both wearing blue gilets and David has a flat cap on. — Victoria’s father David Bailey is the full-time carer for her mother Pat, 74, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2016

“When I first saw this… I did have a little cry but that very quickly turned to anger,” she said.

“I felt like everything we put forward and that we’ve tried to fight for hasn’t been considered properly… the council haven’t given any indication about what these savings will be from the closures.

“They really haven’t thought about the impact on the people and their families.

She added the closures were “short-sighted” and could end up “costing the council more money in the long-run”.

Victoria said: “They’ve said they’re putting people at the heart of everything they do and they’ve just taken away all of my mum’s support – it did not feel very personal.

David and Pat have been married for 55 years

Supplied A photo of David who is on the right and Pat on the left at their wedding in 1969. David is a wearing a black suit while Pat is wearing a white wedding dress with a veil on her head. — David and Pat have been married for 55 years

“That little bit of happiness Mum had from going to the centre and doing things that made her smile is going to go, it impacts on how she is at home.

“Being at the centre has allowed her to have fun and enjoy things again whereas now it will be mum and dad, 24/7 on their own.”

On how she plans to break the news to her mother, Victoria added: “We’re in such a difficult situation, we don’t want to lie to her but she’s in a place now where whatever you say to her, she doesn’t remember – so we’d tell her and the upset would start over again and again – it’s hard.

“How do you explain this to someone who will ask you again 10 minutes later?”

Victoria said telling her mother the centre she attends is set to close will be extremely difficult

Supplied Pat Bailey on the left and her husband David Bailey on the right sat inside the Ritz Hotel in London for their 50th wedding anniversary in 2019 — Victoria said telling her mother the centre she attends is set to close will be extremely difficult

Derbyshire County Council said there had been a fall in demand for traditional residential care centres as more people now prefer to remain at home.

It also faces overspends in its social care departments and is set to make £30m worth of cuts to balance its books.

A consultation on the changes has been met with opposition from MPs and families concerned it will impact on the care of the most vulnerable.

The authority said it intended to focus on providing community support beds which gave people a short period of rehabilitation, often after hospital stays, before returning home.

Cabinet member for adult care Natalie Hoy said some of the changes will help avoid hospital admissions

George Torr/BBC Head and shoulders shot of Natalie Hoy. She is wearing a black suit jacket and a purple lanyard around her neck. — Cabinet member for adult care Natalie Hoy said some of the changes will help avoid hospital admissions

Cabinet member for adult care Natalie Hoy said: “All the research shows that people want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible which has led to a decline in demand for traditional residential care.

“There’s also a growing number of people living with dementia, often supported by family carers or friends who work hard to look after them.

“Carers have told us they need consistent and regular support so we need to focus our resources on having the right options to support them.

“This includes long-term specialist dementia care coupled with respite day and night breaks.”

Joan Dixon, Derbyshire County Council’s Labour group leader, said the closures were the first step in removing the authority from the residential care sector altogether

George Torr/BBC Head and shoulders shot of Joan Dixon - she wearing a red dress and is looking directly into the camera. Protestors outside County Hall in Matlock can be seen in the background — Joan Dixon, Derbyshire County Council’s Labour group leader, said the closures were the first step in removing the authority from the residential care sector altogether

Joan Dixon, the Labour group leader on Derbyshire County Council, said the announcement was a “bonfire to services”.

“This a very grim day for some of our most vulnerable residents,” she said.

“After months of uncertainty, residents in our care homes face an uncertain future with the news that the county council no longer wants to run these homes.

“Some residents have already seen their previous homes cut by the county council.”