A group of elderly residents at a Dundee care home claim removing 24 hour in-house care from their facility could end in tragedy.
100-year-old Dundonian, Jack Stephen said he is “apprehensive” about the Caledonian Housing care home plan to cancel a sleepover service for staff.
Removing the service would mean overnight duties are passed to five Dundee City Council mobile care units.
Residents claim they were told Caledonian would save £15,000 by outsourcing overnight care, but believe potential health and safety risks far outweigh any financial gain.
They claim they were told Caledonian would save £15,000 by outsourcing overnight care, but believe potential health and safety risks far outweigh any financial gain.
Mr Stephen said: “I have been staying at this care home for 17 years and in all that time we have always had a carer staying on the premises at night.
“Now that Caledonian has taken over the running of the home they are doing away with that post.
“I am a bit apprehensive about that and I would very much like them to think again.”
He continued: “About a month ago I experienced something I wouldn’t like to experience again.
“At 10 o’clock I went in my house, locked the door and put the light on. But when I put the switch on I collapsed and took a black out. It was the most horrible feeling I’ve ever felt.
“I lay on the floor for 35 minutes and pressed my buzzer. My son and his wife eventually got me up.
“I thought I had my number that night and I wouldn’t like to think of there not being a carer in here and waiting for someone coming from outside. It could be long enough.”
Fellow resident, Bill Hunter, 66, added: “We need someone here who knows this place and who knows who should be helped first in the event of something like a fire.
“By the time the council come up it could easily be too late.
“This will resolve itself the first time there’s a tragedy.”
Gill Donoghue, head of support services at Caledonia Housing Association, said: “Caledonia Housing Association have been consulting extensively with our tenants on changes to our services that will better meet their needs within the available resources.
“We would encourage anyone that still has concerns, following the consultation, to talk to us to ensure their needs and concerns are fully addressed.”
