The change will affect more than 300 people in sheltered housing

The county council's cabinet has backed a move to replace the current framework where nine wardens live at its nine housing complexes with a team of three support workers.

The change has been greeted with caution by the Ceredigion branch of Age Concern, which warns that the elderly will have less one-to-one contact with staff.

But the council said wardens had found the "living-in" aspect of the job very stressful and were doing more care and support work than under their contract.

The negative aspect of this change is that tenants will lose the social aspect of warden care which makes them feel secure Pamela Morgan, Age Concern

Three of the nine wardens in the county have recently retired or given notice.

The council said many of the 300 or so tenants had indicated they would prefer a greater "warden" presence on site because current wardens worked a 37-hour week and were not available to tenants at weekends, holidays or during sickness.

Bond

The council aims to enable elderly people to remain in their own home for as long as possible.

"The negative aspect of this change is that tenants will lose the social aspect of warden care which makes them feel secure," said Pamela Morgan, director of Age Concern Ceredigion.

"Older people like to bond with one person an that aspect could be lost.

Ceredigion's sheltered complexes Bow Street Llanbadarn Aberystwyth (2) Llanon Aberaeron Llandysul Lampeter Cardigan

"But if the scheme works it will provide extended care cover, seven days a week for tenants, which is also important."

The new support team will monitor the general health and well being of tenants and help them access services, benefits and make sure bills are paid.

Nearly 18,000 people in Ceredigion are aged 60 or over - nearly a quarter of the county's population.

On Tuesday, the council's assistant director of environmental services and housing, Ann Rees, said: "The cabinet today agreed to back the proposals in principle and we will now have to cost the new scheme before getting the full go-ahead."

"The pressure on wardens is great because they can be called out at any time and they have to do a lot more than they should do without complaint."

According to Mrs Rees, the new system could involve three workers covering two shifts between 8am and 8pm every day.