Sudden care home closures leave shocked residents needing to find new place to live before end of month

Shocked residents at two care homes, some of whom are more than 100-years-old, have been told to find alternative accommodation before the end of the month after a sudden decision to close them.

Staff at the homes say elderly residents will have their ‘lives will be turned upside down’ by the unexpected move.

Last Wednesday, residents and their relatives at both the 14-bed Elizabeth House, Walshaw Road, Bury and the nearby 18-bed Moorfields home on Tottington Road, were told that administrators, who have been running the homes since last November after the previous operator failed, had decided to close the doors.

Stunned families of the 32 residents, many of whom have dementia or similar conditions, now face having to find a new place for their elderly relatives to live. Distraught staff were also told last week by administrators that they would likely lose their jobs.

Bury Council said they were ‘shocked’ to be informed of the decision and said the move had ’caused families a great deal of concern’. They said they were working with the families and care providers across the borough of to find alternative accommodation for all the residents.

Administrators Kroll said they had been unable to sell the homes to new operators and intended to auction off the vacant buildings before Christmas.

A petition, titled ‘Save Our Homes’, created by a staff member at one of the care facilities has been published on the change.org website.

It said: “We are desperately looking for a buyer in invest in our homes. Last week we were told we have 28 days to vacate the building and find our 32 residents new homes. We had a last minute buyer come forward but it unfortunately fell through.

“We can’t let these homes close and we desperately need your help to help save our homes, we have 32 vulnerable adults who are happy and settled here. We have some residents over 100 years old whose lives will be turned upside down by this move.

“We love our residents and we love our home, we don’t want our family to end. We need help to stop the closure of these homes, we don’t have long. We need an investor or help from our council.”

Commenting on the closure of Elizabeth House and Moorfields, Julie Wilby, director at administrators Kroll, said: “The joint administrators have taken the difficult decision to close two Bury care homes, Elizabeth House and Moorfields. Unfortunately, despite several months of marketing and speaking with potential buyers, we have been unable to secure a sale for these two care homes.

“We are working closely with staff, families and the local authorities to transfer residents to suitable alternative services before the end of October. Sadly, we have had to notify staff that the closure of the homes will likely result in them being made redundant.

“We will support them as they continue to provide excellent care to residents in the difficult weeks ahead. Where possible, we will assist them in finding other opportunities for new employment.

“We anticipate that the vacant properties will be entered into a sale by auction before Christmas.”