A worried woman says she can’t see how her dad can “survive” without a lifeline council service.
Trisha Jones, 55, lives in Harwich and 92-year-old father Edric is just minutes down the road.
But that hasn’t stopped Careline from being the first to reach him in an emergency.
The Tendring Council-run service provides an emergency response to vulnerable people who get into difficulty at home, such as suffering a fall.
But the council is now looking to axe the service.
Trish said: “Careline has saved my dad’s life twice.
“When he was unresponsive at home, they broke the back door down.
“When he got rushed into hospital Careline called every two hours to ask for updates, and kept in daily contact during his stay.
“What other service is going to do that?”
Edric suffers from long Covid, as well as several other conditions which can sometimes leave him prone to falls.
Trish said: “He trusts Careline. He wants to be in his home and independent, and this really great service lets him do that.
“The peace of mind for the family is fantastic.”
She said her family found out Tendring Council were considering axing the service from the Standard.
Trish said: “We didn’t know anything before that.
“The service users and their families have not been asked by the council how they feel about the service closing down and how they could cope.
“I understand the council have got to cut funding, but I don’t feel the family and service users have been involved enough for the council to make a correct decision.
“Why have we not been invited in a meeting to discuss this? How much would it cost if Careline was self-funded?
“I can’t put a price on dad’s life.”
Other Careline users and local councillors are holding a meeting at Frinton Community Centre this Thursday, August 8, from 1pm-5pm to discuss the future of Careline.
Trish continued: “I don’t know where to go from here.
“If we don’t start spreading the word now, the council will have their meeting in November and that will be it.”
Tendring Council says a final decision on ceasing any services will not be made until later this year, following a public consultation.
It says that if the council cancels Careline services, a sum of £300,000 would be set aside to help transfer customers to alternative providers.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel