Madam,

Further to your front-page headlines and letters from readers about the Ceredigion County Council’s attitude to Bodlondeb home and dementia care in the county, I would like to share our unfortunate experience with the authority last year in respect of our late mother.

She was admitted to Bronglais Hospital shortly before Christmas 2015 on a totally unconnected reason to what developed. It was picked up during some tests that she was showing the early signs of dementia and, due to the fact that she was diabetic, the hospital wouldn’t release her back home, as (and I quote a message I received by text) “She requires 24-hour care which I am sorry to say is not available in the community”.

So the next step was a series of meetings during which we were told that the council would not allow any prospective resident of a home to have EMI care (for dementia) and medical care (for monitoring of diabetes). This despite the fact that most Ceredigion care homes offer both types of care!

So we were advised to select a few care homes in the neighbouring authorities such as Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Powys, which all allow both types of care together in their homes.

We eventually got her a place at Blaenos House Nursing and Care Home in Llandovery. The staff there were wonderful, helpful and friendly, and I would recommend the place to anyone who asks.

Our problem was that now she was going to a totally new environment, she didn’t know anybody there, and all that under the shadow of the confusion that is a major part of dementia.

At this time our mother needed regular visits of family more than ever but each visit was an almost 100-mile round trip. Unsurprisingly, she soon lost interest in everything and went downhill rapidly - she only lasted five weeks there before she passed away.

Why can Ceredigion County Council not allow someone like her to have both types of care when they are both available in their homes?

If they are trying to save money, it doesn’t wash with me.

Blaenos House residential fees were £535.36 per week and the council had to pay most of that (Some types of care are in excess of £700 per week).

At a time when someone needs regular family visits to help alleviate this sad time of their life, the council’s “rules” put a spoke in that. They need to change and incorporate what we were denied and save families and elderly residents the problems we faced.

Yours etc,

Brian Jones, Heol y Wern, Penparcau, Aberystwyth.

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