Better to be dead than 'wardenless'?

29/09/2008

I read with interest your article on wardenless accomodation. I am a psychiatric nurse working in Bristol.

 

Two years ago my 85 year old mother moved into a complex with an onsite warden run by the local council. A few months after she moved in, a consultation took place about a takeover by a Housing Association. Residents were assured no change in their care would result from this, and by a narrow margin the Housing Association won the contract.

 

Within 6 months of taking over, the Housing Association started moving towards a mobile warden scheme, and the onsite warden is due to leave on 1st October 2008. They were less than honest in their bid to win the contract. What rights do these elderly residents now have - even if they had the energy to fight this issue? This is a shoddy way to treat elderly people - not to mention totally dishonest!

 

What is the value of onsite wardens? On 2nd September 2008 my 87 year old mother suddenly passed away. She was preparing herself to attend the regular coffee morning organised by the onsite warden. She did not appear and this raised alarm bells for the warden. My mother was found dead in her bungalow within an hour of her passing. I am so grateful for that.

 

Without the onsite warden my mother would have been dead for 6-7 hours before I would have found her. How awful would that have been? Frankly we regard it as a protest by my mother. "I'm going before they take the warden away!"

 

My mother enjoyed the last 20 months of her life on the complex, and a big part of that was the support and help she received from the onsite warden. To replace that with infrequent mobile wardens is a travesty. Please don't listen to promises made by Housing Associations. Services will not stay the same and their promises have no value.

 

Martin Colley (by email)