It is with great sadness that I am updating to say that the Patey Centre is now closed. The risk was always going to be that there wouldn't be the number of referrals necessary to make it viable. Sadly this does not mean that the number of people with dementia has decreased, rather that the criteria for them getting funding to attend day centre has got tighter due to Govt cutbacks. The need is greater than ever, but the money is not there so these people will be denied the mental stimulation and social interaction they so desperately need. For the people with dementia in Portsmouth this means the fantastic work that the Patey Centre did, and its lovely home from home atmosphere has been lost, and there is now no specialist dementia day care in Portsmouth North. Thank you so much to everyone who supported the Patey Centre and helped us campaign to keep it open. The stay of execution, although short lived made a real difference to the people who used it and was very much appreciated.
To: Portsmouth City Council
Help Save specialist day centre for people with Alzheimers in Portsmouth
Dear Portsmouth City Council,
Please don't close the Patey Centre in Cosham, without providing alternative specialist day care for people with alzheimers and dementia in the north of the city.
Why is this important?
My Mum who has rapidly progressing Alzheimer’s disease uses the centre. It is a local lifeline for many local residents, as a caring unit which understands her condition and provides a friendly and stimulating environment, and for the carers such as myself to get some much needed respite.
The proposal is to move the Patey clients to the Royal Albert Day Centre in the centre of Portsmouth which would be extremely detrimental for the majority of them. They are a close knit group of individuals who thrive on the familiarity and security of both their number and setting. The skilled carers provide stimulating activities which maintain their clients' skills, helping them to feel valued and promoting independence. The move to the much larger Royal Albert Centre and much longer journey would be frightening and hasten the progress of their disease as the unfamiliarity will cause confusion.
Portsmouth City Council's own Dementia Action Plan 2013/14 states:
“Objective one of the Portsmouth Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy is to enhance the quality of life for people with dementia”
“2142 residents will have some form of dementia · 55% (1178) will be mild, 32%(685) will be moderate, 13% (279) will be severe”
“Portsmouth aspires to be a dementia friendly city where people with dementia will be treated with respect and feel included in our local communities.”
“There will need to be a shift away from acute care towards primary and community based service provision, including rehabilitation and reablement.”
“Support for carers is key”
By closing the Patey Centre there will be just 60 spaces for the 2142 sufferers of alzheimers and dementia in the whole of Portsmouth. Portsmouth NEEDS more spaces not less.
The Council claim this is a cost cutting measure however this is only true in the short term. Longer term there will be: growing costs of caring for increasing numbers of isolated dementia sufferers in their homes for whom there are no day care spaces; an increased need for residential care as overwhelmed carers without specialist day care respite will reach breaking point faster; and additional costs transporting people to the Royal Albert.
The Council's intention is to sell the land the Patey Centre is on to help fund a residential home for people with alzheimers in the north of the city, why doesn't this incorporate the Patey Centre?
The 2142 sufferers of alzheimers and dementia in Portsmouth are vulnerable people, many with carers such as myself who are stretched to breaking point. Their needs are being ignored and their excellent day centre is being lost. Please don't close the Patey Centre in Cosham, without providing alternative specialist day care for people with alzheimers and dementia in the north of Portsmouth, put the needs of the people of Portsmouth first.
