Madam,

Is Ceredigion County Council jumping on to the extra care housing bandwagon just as the wheels are coming off?

In October of last year, Sheffield Hallam University published a Welsh Government-commissioned report into Extra Care Housing for Wales. It strongly suggests that, rather than being the way forward, extra care housing, like residential care, is just part of the answer to the care of older people.

Why, it asks after looking at the care available in extra care housing, shouldn’t people choose rather to just stay in their own homes with increased care packages and adaptations?

Those in favour may point to the social aspect of extra care housing, but research indicates that feelings of loneliness can increase in extra care housing when more dependent tenants feel excluded from the life and activities of the building.

Don’t be fooled by tales of “I went to see a complex in XYZ and it was marvellous” as facilities can vary greatly from place to place, so check out the proposed facilities for Plas Morolwg before thinking that it will be all singing and dancing.

Another point raised by the Sheffield Hallam report is that ideally, to avoid social isolation, extra care housing should be near to town centres and have good pedestrian access.

The Plas Morolwg site has neither of these and, with planning permission granted for seven dwellings on the site of the old car showroom, just off the junction with the fire station, traffic is bound to increase on that narrow road.

It may be cheaper for local authorities to put all their eggs in the extra care housing basket but, as the old maxim goes, however little it costs, if it’s not wanted nor needed then it’s a waste of money.

And please Ceredigion, if we are to have extra care housing, reconsider where it is to be.

Yours etc,

George Holloway, Rhoshendre, Waunfawr, Aberystwyth.

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