AFTER reading the statement by Councillor Bancroft emphasising the need to close the eight council-run homes for the elderly, I feel I would like to comment.

It was stated that most of the elderly are now "voting with their feet" and demanding to remain in their own homes as long as possible, a view that I don't feel is new at all. Everyone would prefer to stay in their own home if they could.

Unfortunately, a great majority cannot consider this as they have reached a stage of needing care and attention on a full-time basis. And now we go to "care in the community". This service is excellent on paper but in reality does not offer much at all. Two or even three visits each day by carers still leaves the elderly on their own and vulnerable for approximately 21 hours per day. This is not acceptable at all unless that person is fit and quite agile.

And so we return once again to the 24-hour care system which means a rest or nursing home. Councillor Bancroft stated that most people are now demanding their own shower and toilet in their room.

I agree with this completely, but once again these things are only useful to those who are fit enough to use them and in the case of 95 per cent of elderly in care that is not possible -- they all need to be assisted in both shower and bath and when using the toilet. Therefore the present system in the council homes is completely adequate. Coun Bancroft seems very concerned that the council homes do not measure up to the new government standards. Which standards does he mean here?

Most of us are under the impression that the government have not

yet decided what standards are necessary and, even when they do, it will take years to implement them. We have heard, however, that large corridors and rooms are high on the new standards list.

Well if this is the case, then the eight homes will certainly meet or come near to meeting that requirement, certainly more so than most of the private sector establishments.

Coun Bancroft goes on to say that £3 million is needed

immediately to upgrade the homes and as they have not got this amount to spend they will have to close. Well, news just received blows that statement out of the water!

The government has now apparently just announced new national minimum standards for care homes. Most of this relates to personal care, which is already established.

They then go on to say that if any building should need alterations then they are allowing seven years for both public and private sectors to satisfy the new requirements, and even then, not all homes will need to meet the new 10 sq metre requirement.

So the urgency being pushed by Coun Bancroft and the social services is uncalled for and not at all necessary.

All that is needed to be done to each home is cosmetic improvements, costing very little and then these wonderful purpose-built homes can remain open and continue to provide the very high standard of care the public demand.

Kathryn Rogers,

Leicester Avenue,

Thornton Cleveleys.