Together we can save this vital Southport service (The Brookdale)

This centre is situated in Ainsdale, Southport. It is the ‘only’ dementia specialist care centre in a catchment area of approximately 150,000 people. The council proposes to close it and move everybody across to another centre.

This unit with specialist trained staff provides a day care service for older people with Alzheimer’s and dementia and deals with cases from early onset to the later stages of the illness. It provides a crucial life-line for hard-pressed carers giving them the required respite whilst being assured of the safety, health and well-being of their loved ones at the centre.

Many service users also have serious reservations over the council’s inadequate Brookdale consultation process, which conveniently failed to highlight Alzheimer’s and dementia.

This council has failed to recognise that the needs of each person suffering with dementia are diverse. This means that every individual dementia sufferer requires a different, specially-designed, care plan in order for it to be effective.

Proposed council closure of the Brookdale is therefore extremely ill-considered, badly researched and basically cruel!

We need everybody’s support to beseech the council to keep this vital and much – loved specialist care centre open.

FRIENDS OF BROOKDALE