Gretton Court residents to get permanent on-site support

Leicestershire County Council withdrew the support officer in April when it handed over management of the 42-unit extra care venue, which offers accommodation to older people with care and support needs, to Melton Borough Council.

The borough council, which is landlord of the site, has provided an interim wellbeing support service since then at no extra cost to residents.

It is financially unviable to continue with a free service so members of the cabinet have now approved the appointment of a full time independent living officer at Gretton Court, which is located off Leicester Road.

The new member of staff will organise social activities such as bingo, film afternoons and nail painting in the communal areas, as well as visits from local schoolchildren.

They will also be responsible for overseeing the wellbeing service to residents, including daily visits and managing care increases where necessary.

Residents will be asked to pay a weekly fee of £62.25 to fund the new wellbeing service, which was designed from discussions with residents and the Friends of Gretton Court.

The new service will be reviewed within three months to ensure it is working well.

Councillor Pat Cumbers, ward representative and portfolio holder for customers, communities and neighbourhoods, told the meeting: “In the past, Gretton Court was so much part of this council.

"Members were often there and it was a lovely homely building.

"I hadn’t been there recently because of the pandemic and when I went there this year for the elections I was surprised and a bit disappointed because it was a different atmosphere.

"I think this will help us get it back to what it was like in the past, almost like a family, because those people live together, they eat together and do things together.”

Councillor Sarah Cox, another ward member and and portfolio holder for corporate finance, property and resources, told cabinet colleagues: “I think it is important that we respect the desire of the residents and support this post being implemented as soon as possible because there is clearly a gap in that level of service around wellbeing."

She welcomed the pledge of care support which will be available to Gretton Court residents through Leicestershire County Council as part of the new wellbeing package, adding: “It gives me some reassurance that we won’t have residents left immobile or perhaps not getting their dinners of being supported.”

The wellbeing budget will help pay for providing the missing extra care time that has been seriously missed since Leicestershire County Council removed the service at Gretton Court.

Borough council officers have worked with county council officials to be able to arrange a number of free of charge and low-cost activities.

People who live there also have access to 24-hour emergency care and concierge service and they get lunch served every day at midday.

The complex was built by the council in 1988 for residents aged over 55 who require a minimum of three hours of care per week.