Adult day centre facing closure is a 'lifeline'

An adult day centre set to close down at the end of the month has been described as a "lifeline" and "vital service" for those who use it.

Kyrebrook Daycare Centre in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, said it was closing as rising costs, low attendance and reduced referrals made it "financially unsustainable" to continue.

The centre, which has supported vulnerable and elderly adults for 13 years, will shut its doors on 27 February. A number of people cared for there live in neighbouring Shropshire.

Brenda Smith, 94, who attends the site twice a week, said it had helped her meet other people and the closure meant it would be a "lot more lonely".

"It's just a lifeline, it keeps you going. It keeps you alive," she said.

"It definitely brightens up my day because I have other people to talk with and interact with. We have laughs - what more could you want?" she added.

General manager Ria Baxter told the BBC day centres were a way of stopping people entering residential care and keeping them in the community.

About 90% of its clients had dementia, with the centre helping people to stay active and to keep friendships going.

"We offer a way where they're not sitting at home deteriorating because they've got nobody talking to them or looking after them," she explained.

Baxter said the centre previously had 25 clients per week but this had since reduced to 13.

Kyrebrook, which is registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC), was "completely reliant" on people who pay to attend, she said.

"We just haven't had any referrals in the last three years from the local county councils," Baxer said.

"I honestly believe that there has been a total lack of care for the elderly, there isn't the funding there to help these people.

"We just can't carry on."

Worcestershire County Council said Kyrebrook Daycare Centre was contracted to the authority as part of its Positive Days service, and referrals were made to meet an individual's assessed needs.

"Our commissioning team works closely with social work teams across the county to ensure these options are available when developing support packages, so that people receive the most appropriate and beneficial support," a spokesperson said.

"While we currently place fewer older people in day services compared with working‑age adults, we are actively promoting local community‑based opportunities to ensure more people can choose to access these services in the future if they wish to."

Ruth Houghton, portfolio holder for adult social care at neighbouring Shropshire Council said once the authority completed an assessment of someone's needs, it took a strengths-based approach to supporting them - looking at the person's abilities and the opportunities within their local community.

"If a person's needs cannot be met through community based activities or informal support, the council will ensure people receive appropriate services to help them live safely and independently," she said.

"This may include personalised support such as a personal assistant, or access to more traditional day opportunities, including day centres."

A government spokesperson added: "We understand how important it is that local people can access the social care they need.

"That is why we are investing an extra £4.6bn into adult social care, alongside fixing the broken council funding system we inherited so people get the high-quality public services they deserve."

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