Day care centre for elderly set to close

One of Tauranga's leading elderly day care centres is closing its doors, causing disruption for dozens of clients.
Carruth Day Care Centre, operating at Melrose Lifestyle Care and Village on Waihi Rd, will cease to operate by the end of the year.
The centre has been running for about 30 years. Between 18-28 elderly clients use the service each day - all of whom will have to find alternative day care.
Management confirmed closure of Carruth Day Care Centre and said the facility would close in four months.
Geoff Hipkins, chief executive officer of Oceania Group, which owned Melrose Lifestyle Care and Village, said the decision to stop the day care centre had been made as a result of funding issues and other ongoing problems.
"We've been looking at it for several months, it's an ongoing process ... we have a number of issues surrounding the day care centre," he said. "There is an issue with funding and this means we are not able to provide the level of service that we want to provide."
Mr Hipkins said staff were aware of the closure, however clients had not yet been told.
"We want to inform people as soon as we can but at the moment there are no concrete plans and until we know for sure, then we will let everyone know."
Dozens of people will be affected by the closure of the facility, including five staff and a number of volunteers.
Age Concern was one of the Western Bay of Plenty organisations that referred clients to Carruth Day Care Centre.
Tauranga Age Concern chairperson Angela Scott said she was upset to hear the centre was closing down.
"We are really concerned because it has been a very good place for people to go to," she said. "It is a shame for the families too, because it was a place that was reliable and safe, and for the people who go there, I don't really know where they will go."
Once the day care centre closed, the empty space would be used by residents of Melrose Lifestyle Care and Village. Mr Hipkins said the space would become a community centre for residents.
"It will be a positive usage of the facility. We have a large community here at Melrose and this will benefit them."
Oceania Group were legally bound to give three months' notice however the Bay of Plenty District Health Board requested more time before the facility closed, Mr Hipkins said.
"The DHB asked us to be flexible, so we came back with four months. We're trying to bend over backward to accommodate everyone's needs," Mr Hipkins said.
Five staff employed at Carruth Day Care Centre would be affected by the closure of the facility however Mr Hipkins said redeployment options would be available to them.
Carruth Day Care Centre staff were unable to comment on closure of the facility.
Mr Hipkins said it was disappointing to see the service shut down.
"It is a shame to close, it's a very useful service."

 Oceania Group is currently in discussion with the Bay of Plenty District Health Board to determine when exactly the centre will close.