‘Move out’ or you’ll ‘lose out’

Rodney Edwards • Published 3 Sep 2010 09:00 0 Comments

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ELDERLY pensioners in Drumhaw claim they have been told by the Western Trust to “move out” of the Residential Home or they’ll “lose out” in the future.

Several residents say they were informed that if they didn’t move soon they could “lose a bed” at the Gortacharn Care Home in the future.

The private complex is earmarked to “facilitate” the residents of Drumhaw when it eventually closes but “not until then”, say the pensioners.

78-year-old Tommy Williamson has spent eight “brilliant” years in Drumhaw but now he feels he is being “pushed and bullied out”.

“The social worker told us we had to go otherwise we would lose our beds down in Gortacharn. There’s nothing straightforward about the situation at all. One minute they are telling us one thing, the next they are telling us something else. I don’t want to move. This is my home, I’m having a lovely time here, you could get no greater place. I don’t think a big pile about the people in charge because they don’t seem to care too much for us. The way I see it; the purse has got low and that’s why they want us out,” he said.

John Phair, 73, has spent nearly 10 years in the home, costing him £1300 a month. Fighting back tears, the pensioner admits he is “very upset”.

“I don’t want to leave. I came in here to finish my days. I sold my home to come in here. I used to have a pile of land to farm on and I sold that to pay for my keep in here. I think they [the Western Trust] have played dirty on us. We have been bullied into all this. It’s nothing else but bullying. The social worker came here yesterday and told me if I didn’t move to Gortacharn I’d end up in Brookeborough. I haven’t had a wink of sleep. I was crying the whole of last night about leaving here,” he said.

76-year-old Anne Sheridan said it “would be a crime” to close the place down. She added: “It would upset the residents who are being very well looked after by the staff. I am very disappointed. I don’t know what’s going on here when you think about all the care and support the staff give the residents. I don’t want to move, I want to stay here. What can we do to stay here?” she cried.

Kathleen Murray, 67, is worried that if she “doesn’t go” she’ll lose her bed in the other home: “None of this has been our choice, we have been forced into it. We’ve been bullied into it. They don’t take in anybody’s feelings. Nobody wants to leave but we’re not been given much choice,” she said.

89 year-old Dennis Corr believes the actions over the last week have been “underhand” and he is demanding that the Western Trust “talk straight” to him and the other pensioners: “Stop messing us around. It never crossed my mind that I’d be sitting here fighting to stay in Drumhaw. It doesn’t show much respect for the elderly. It just shows disrespect. I don’t like what’s been going on at all. Instead of twisting everything about they should talk straight to us. It’s underhand and pensioners have been bullied. They wanted me to sign a form giving my permission to move but I wouldn’t sign a thing. They told me before that we wouldn’t have to move and now they’re saying the opposite. When you are content where you are why should you move? I have told them that I’m signing nothing and I’m going nowhere,” he said.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 02 Sep 10

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