A pensioner who has spent more than 40 years in Cupar has told of the “terrible upset” closure of a council-run care home would cause.
Northeden House is one of 10 homes under threat as Fife Council looks to make multi-million pound savings.
However, Ann Brown says many local people would be terrified by the prospect of being forced to move away from loved ones in their later years.
Her former husband resided at the Cupar home prior to his death a year ago and she knows just how comforting it was to have him so close.
“I have spent most of my life in Cupar and I would be very upset if Northeden closed,” Mrs Brown told us. “This is my home and I would want to remain here.
“My husband was in Northeden, starting off in day care and then latterly residing there.”
The prospect of family and friends being forced to travel to another town many miles away to visit loved ones fills Mrs Brown with dread.Traumatic”Going into a care home can be a fairly traumatic experience even if it is close to home,” the 69-year-old said. “Having to move to a new town further away from loved ones could be very unpleasant and difficult.
“When my husband went to Northeden I sold the car, so it was nice to have him so close having to travel elsewhere to see him would have been awful.”
Mrs Brown talked of “popping in” to Northeden for a cup of tea with her husband something that would have been impossible if he had been forced to move into a care home outside of Cupar.
“When you enter Northeden there is a lovely feeling,” she said. “Everybody is very friendly. Members of staff are all very approachable and always try to help.
“I feel they go the extra mile and to see the place closed would be very sad indeed.
“It is a great place and if it wasn’t available to local people it would be terribly upsetting.”
Councillors will decide the fate of Fife’s local authority-run care homes during a meeting of the social work and health committee on Tuesday.
While the wellbeing of older people is regarded as a top priority, elected members have also been left in no doubt as to the need to make significant financial savings.