Fears more Lincolnshire care homes will close with residents unable to find a place to live

The sector is in the midst of a staffing crisis

Author: Aaron RenfreePublished 16th Dec 2021

We're being warned older people across Lincolnshire may not have a place to live as more and more care homes are forced to close.

The sectors struggling as it faces a staffing crisis.

Covid and the new Omicron variant are partly to blame.

Chair of Lincolnshire Care Association, Melanie Weatherly, said many staff are facing burnout.

"The people that have died are the people that they love.

"So it's been like bereavement, after bereavement, after bereavement, and I'm not sure we're picking up the impact that has had, and is having, on people"

She said those that are struggling are put in a very tough position.

"The owners of some of the care homes are having to make really, really difficult decisions.

"Do I carry on? Do I hope that I can weather this storm? Or does there come a point where I have to say, I can't do it anymore.

"It's not an easy decision because the people who live in our care homes are like family."

Deborah Williamson from Skegness had to move her dad to a new home, after his old one didn't have enough staff to care for him.

"He's got to stay in his room for a certain period of time and they can't move him out to mix with the others until his quarantine is done.

"That's really bad because he likes social interaction. If he's left, he will go down, he will deteriorate.

"I don't know if it will bring on his end of life which nobody wants for their mother or father.

"I know it happens, but it's very distressing."

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