Editor

During all my life I have tried to protect my family, whether while I was working as a police officer in Dyfed Powys Police, employed as a handyman, driver and gardener at Bodlondeb Residential Care Home and now as a volunteer with Hospice at Home Aberystwyth.

Other than with HAHAV I have worked in the public sector and along with others swore on the Bible that I would protect the lives of the public.

I’m sure that health ministers at Westminster – Welsh Assembly, Ceredigion county councillors, chief executives of Hywel Dda and the chief executive of CCC have made the same, or a similar, oath

Do you have a ‘job description’ within public sector to protect life, within health service and social care?

Are you only responsible for the statutory services, if so why?

Why is it dependent on private sector regarding residential care, and why did Ceredigion council close two of its seven residential care homes in the public sector, closed day centres in Aberaeron and Aberystwyth, and will other homes close?

You must know the importance to provide essential residential care in all areas in Ceredigion why are you now and, will you in the future close all residential care homes in Ceredigion. Can you rely on private sector?

At present how many people are supported outside Ceredigion, because there are no vacancies?How many are at home with minimum support from social service?

If it was not for private sector, goodwill from under paid carers, what would you do with everybody who is at home, some alone, locked in with devastated families.

Fortunately some are supported for 24 hours a day, by family, or if they have finances by private carers. I hope I will not be a burden to my family.

If you do not believe me accompany me to some of the homes I have visited and are now visiting for those who have reached out to HAHAV Hospice at Home Aberystwyth Volunteers.

At present I am the only male sitting in Ceredigion. All I do is spend a few hours within families and support them in any way that I can always at the end of the phone for them.

I am surrounded by opposite sex, each one of us, support those who are going through such difficult times.

We are based at Plas Antaron, Southgate. We have a charity shop in Pier Street, so difficult now, for donations between 11am and 5 or 6pm because pavements are now preventing items being dropped off when the shop is open. The nearest car park is at St Michael’s Church.

Dai Thomas (Friend of Bodlondeb)Southgate.

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