MOVING 99-year-old Mary Thick could be fatal, her daughter believes.
But Faith Cox is faced with little choice when Mary's care home closes later this year.
Frail residents at 48-bed Hygrove House in Minsterworth were given hope in November 2011 when Health Care One Ltd took over from Southern Cross, which went bust.
But relatives were served up the devastating news this week that, after crisis talks, the home would be closing.
Faith, 65, who lives in Corse, said her mum is too frail to move. "Our lives have been turned upside down," she said.
"These elderly people deserve better than this.
"The stress is beyond belief. This should not be happening all over again, it is barbaric. Was all this just a stay of execution?"
Faith has yet to tell her mother the news. Mary has been there for four years. Another resident there is 102. The residents will be found new homes with assistance from the county council.
A February inspection by the Care Quality Commission demanded enforcement action to improve the home's care, treatment and support for residents.
"It is a nightmare we won't wake up from," said Faith. "If they don't move mum closer to me, I will have to say goodbye to her. "I'm a widow, but I'm on my second dose of breast cancer treatment so it is difficult to travel far. The staff told me if they move someone of that age, it usually kills them.
"I am worried it will be fatal for mum."
A spokesman for the home said: "We are very sorry about this and have only come to this decision after much consideration. We are working with all parties to arrive at an appropriate closure date.
"We took over the running of the home on November 1, 2011 and it was only after this time we began to learn about the challenges it faced. Our immediate priority had been ensuring continuity and quality of care. We did everything we could to ensure residents were properly looked after. We invested in the home and purchased a new minibus for residents.
"We worked hard on staff recruitment, training and development.
"Improvements have been made, and despite ongoing efforts, it is clear the home, layout, its location and environment are not suitable to enable the standard of care we feel is required. It has become necessary to take this difficult decision to close the home. Our team is already working to ensure residents are offered places at other care homes of their choice."
Councillor Andrew Gravells, cabinet member for older people at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "The safety, health and wellbeing of all residents is our primary concern now. Social workers will be based in the home to work with families and residents, and I want to reassure them we'll do everything possible to ensure they receive full support in arranging transfers to other appropriate care homes in a safe, sensitive and controlled way. The home will remain open while these transfers are arranged."
To contact the council's Adult Helpdesk, call 01452 426868.
