AN impassioned plea has been made for day care facilities in Wrexham to be reopened in order to protect the vulnerable.
Day services for elderly residents and disabled people had to be closed in March because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Wrexham Council normally provides supports for about 40 disabled adults at the Cunliffe Centre in Rhosddu, as well as work opportunities at several locations, including the Erlas Walled Garden Project on Bryn Estyn Road.
Meanwhile, older people are able to socialise at independently-run residential care homes.
However, despite a dedicated centre for individuals with learning disabilities in neighbouring Flintshire reopening in September, those in Wrexham have largely remained shut.
The issue was raised at a meeting of backbench councillors this week after one community leader said he’d been contacted by relatives of people who access day care services expressing concerns about their mental health.
Cllr Nigel Williams, who represents the Southsea ward, said some family members had been close to tears because of the situations and asked for the local authority to reconsider its position.
Speaking at a virtual meeting on Wednesday (November 18, 2020), he said: “I’ve been doing some research into Flintshire, our neighbouring authority, which has very similar numbers of Covid cases.
“Their version of the Cunliffe Centre called Hwb Cyfle opened in September at the same time as schools, with limited numbers of a rota basis.
“Their two businesses also opened this week so why are we delaying so much ourselves and when will we open?”
“This is a means of respite for carers and families and I’ve spoken to several family members who are finding it very difficult having their family members at home all day long.”
Gwersyllt west councillor Gwenfair Jones said she’d also been approached by the family of an elderly person who usually goes to a residential home for day care up to three times a week.
Officers told members of the safeguarding, communities and wellbeing scrutiny committee they were looking at plans to reopen the Cunliffe Centre in the new year, but have yet to set a firm date.
They also stressed the need to balance people’s safety against the benefits of reopening services.
Alwyn Jones, chief officer for social care, said restarting support within care homes was particularly difficult due to the high risk posed to elderly residents by the coronavirus.
He said: “Care homes have clearly been right at the forefront in terms of how we’ve supported people during the pandemic and been right at the forefront in terms of the challenges we’ve experienced.
“Sadly, services that have been delivered in care homes have been stopped to a great degree.
“We are now looking at options to restart, albeit that’s challenging at this moment as we are still in the middle of the second wave.”
Mr Jones highlighted the Penley Rainbow Centre as one example of a facility in the area where services had been kept running for a limited number of people.
He added community workers had been making welfare calls to both residents who access day care and their families.
However, Cllr Williams described the reopening plans as “ambiguous” and challenged the council to give a clearer timetable.
The majority of his colleagues supported his calls, including Cllr Brian Cameron, who said: “If anything, this Covid outbreak has proved the importance that we do need these centres.
“I dread to think what the mental health of these people must be like. The sooner the better we can get them back.”
But Cllr Beverley Parry-Jones defended the authority’s stance and praised the work of its staff during the pandemic.
She said: “I take on board fully what’s been said about the reopening of the Cunliffe Centre.
“However, I do feel that everybody connected with Wrexham Council has played an important role in keeping all residents of Wrexham safe.
“I really do think that we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be browbeaten into rushing a decision to open the Cunliffe Centre or Erlas and certainly shouldn’t be comparing what neighbouring authorities are doing.”
In response, Cllr Williams said he agreed that services needed to be provided safely, but felt waiting eight months was not rushing into a decision.
He said: “When you have people calling you almost in tears on the phone, asking when things are going to open again because their child is desperate to go back and they’re concerned about their mental health, then it does change your mind on things.
“I’d like to reiterate that as soon as you feel it’s safe to do so and as soon as we can, can we please start to do a phased return of reopening the centres just to offer some sort of service and respite for parents and carers.”
The committee voted to back Cllr Williams’ calls for centres to be reopened on a phased basis as soon as is practically possible at the end of the debate.
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