106-year-old resident loses battle against carehome closure

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...zing-snow.html

One of Britain's oldest women was tearfully forced out of her care home today despite her efforts to save it from closure at the High Court. Louisa Watts, 106, had begged to be allowed to stay at Underhill House in Bushberry, West Midlands but was removed from there in freezing conditions this morning. She was too upset to speak but was taken to a nursing home, five miles away, where she will now live. Mrs Watts, thought to be Britain's fifth oldest woman, had joined other residents at the High Court to appeal against Wolverhampton Council's decision to close the home because of budget cuts.

She and fellow residents had argued that closing the care home would seriously reduce their lifespan.The council decided to close the 40-year-old home in April last year. It added that the property did not meet modern standards and improvements would cost £2million, prompting the legal battle.

The fight was led by campaigning solicitor Yvonne Hossack, who has prevented the closure of more than 80 care homes, but the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the council in October. Even Prime Minister Gordon Brown had urged the city council to reconsider their decision. But that, too, was rejected and after the appeal was turned down, Mrs Watts and the other residents were told they would be re-homed. This morning, the former hospital cleaner was removed from Underhill House and helped out of the front door in a wheelchair in freezing conditions.

An absolute disgrace and if Gordon Brown really cared then he would order the council not to close this carehome, afterall he is always keen on giving our money to everyone on this planet except his own people - but as usual more smoke and mirrors from our politicians.

Bless them all and I wish them the best.

[Ardemax]

I'm sorry but how can you blame this on Gordon Brown? It has nothing to do with him, and he might have had more important things on his agenda...

But yes it is a disgrace and the council should have been more thoughtful.

[Bun]

lmao, you can't seriously blame GB for this? he tried to help, but at the end of the day the Courts made the final decision.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Yeah he did try and 'help', but maybe he should be more willing to try and help by actually demanding that this carehome be kept open. He is keen on demanding things from other countries and giving billions away to them, but doesn't seem very keen to get involved with his own people.

Posts merged by Tash. (Forum Moderator): Forum Lag.

[Jordy]

I can't believe what I'm hearing. Spending £2 Million pounds would be a complete waste and I would be disgusted if they did spend that money on improving it considering the few people who live there.

It's not nice for anyone to be forced to move home, and I think it's sort of irrelevant if they're 80, or 106. However it's completely out of the question to keep it open and I would be thoroughly disappointed with the council if they did. While I do sympathise with the woman, it is not the end of the world and the Council have made the right choice. To fork out £2 Million just to stop inconveniencing an old woman really is ridiculous.

The government are very good to people in care homes if I'm completely honest, they pay around £500 a week for most people in care/nursing homes.

[Ardemax]

Yeah he did try and 'help', but maybe he should be more willing to try and help by actually demanding that this carehome be kept open. He is keen on demanding things from other countries and giving billions away to them, but doesn't seem very keen to get involved with his own people.

I'm sorry but there are loads of cases like these and Mr. Brown can't go around helping everyone like he's God.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I can't believe what I'm hearing. Spending £2 Million pounds would be a complete waste and I would be disgusted if they did spend that money on improving it considering the few people who live there.

It's not nice for anyone to be forced to move home, and I think it's sort of irrelevant if they're 80, or 106. However it's completely out of the question to keep it open and I would be thoroughly disappointed with the council if they did. While I do sympathise with the woman, it is not the end of the world and the Council have made the right choice. To fork out £2 Million just to stop inconveniencing an old woman really is ridiculous.

The government are very good to people in care homes if I'm completely honest, they pay around £500 a week for most people in care/nursing homes.

It is all very well saying that, but £2 million isn't a lot of these people especially when they hear of a government on the news everyday giving money to seemingly everyone who wants it across the world.

I'm sorry but there are loads of cases like these and Mr. Brown can't go around helping everyone like he's God.

Mr Brown certainly has the time, but as you seemingly suggested unknowingly;- not the effort. He appears to have time to mourn every celebrity death (Michael Jackson) or even to congratulate talent contest runners-up (Susan Boyle) but has little time for this matter.

[hah]

if he did help her you would be complaining that 2 million was wasted

[-:Undertaker:-]

if he did help her you would be complaining that 2 million was wasted

I wouldn't, as its a just cause. There is a difference between giving China £5 million on a visit there and giving £2 million to a nursing home for your own people.

[Tash.]

Going to have to agree with the majority here, spending 2 million on something like this would have caused loads of comments on how he had wasted that money on such a silly thing. Yes it's an inconvenience having to move home at 106, but really it is not worth spending £2 million arguing over it. It isn't Brown's fault at all, the accusations are getting outlandish.