A number of Fife care home residents are facing an anxious festive season after plans to close their complex were confirmed.
Caledonia Housing Association has revealed it will shut Servite Court Care Home in Leuchars in 2020 after reviewing its housing and property portfolio.
The company, which has owned Servite Court since it was built in 1996, said the decision had been taken during a board meeting earlier this week.
A spokeswoman said it followed extensive consultation with residents, employees and others.
Four of the care home’s 10 residents have already found new accommodation.
Julie Cosgrove, the chief executive of Caledonia Housing Association, has stressed that the home will not close until all of the others have found somewhere suitable to live.
It’s understood affected families have raised concerns about the impact of the upheaval of moving on their loved ones.
Ms Cosgrove said: “We are sad it has come to this, but there are no financially viable solutions on the table.
“The board has accepted that we have done all we reasonably can.
“Our aim is for all existing residents to have found new accommodation by the end of March 2020, but the actual closure date will depend on whether this can be achieved.
“Our focus now is on ensuring that we give every support to residents and their families to help them find somewhere to live.”
She said the firm was being assisted by Fife Health and Social Care Partnership in making the arrangements and its plans included giving financial support with transport and removal costs, telephone disconnection and reconnection, redirection of mail etc.
It remains unclear what will happen to the care home’s 12 permanent and fixed-term employees and two supply staff, although further talks with staff will be held over the coming weeks.
“We will provide every assistance to our staff to help them find alternative employment at another Caledonia location or elsewhere,” Ms Cosgrove said.
“We are most grateful to the current staff team for their ongoing support for existing residents.”
The company said it looked at a range of options, such as reducing operating and staff costs, transferring the property and/or care provision to another organisation, and selling the home to a private care home provider, before reaching the decision to close.
