A RESPITE care home in Bromsgrove, which was saved from the brink of closure, is now a thriving success providing much needed help to people across the county.

Blackmore House, in School Drive, was saved by Worcestershire County Council from closure four years ago when the residential home then had 28 permanent residents.

Back in 2002, the Advertiser/Messenger featured the plight of the home, which was earmarked for closure.

The building's future had been uncertain following the government's introduction of national minimum standards and it was deemed to be running at a loss.

But after a hard-fought battle, including thousands of residents adding their names to a petition opposing the move, the home was saved from closure in February 2003 when the county council's executive cabinet voted unanimously to keep it open.

Gerry Harrison, a committee member of the Friends of Blackmore House, whose mother is a permanent resident at the home, said: "Worcestershire County Council had the foresight to change the terms of use for the home, it recognised that the home did have a future offering respite care. It planned for the future, knowing that extra care in the community was going to create even more demand for respite places and enable people to remain being looked after in their own home for longer."

There were 28 permanent residents, but as these residents died the bed places have been used for respite and now it is home to six permanent residents, with the remaining 22 places dedicated to respite provision and a day care centre.

Gerry added: "The respite facility is very important to carers as it allows them to have a break from the every day caring of a loved one. It is very stressful when a loved one has confusion or dementia and in some cases could need 24 hour care. Without respite it would mean that the carers get ill themselves and their relatives would have to go in to permanent residential homes sooner and so the respite facility saves the county council money."

He said all the respite places have been block purchased by the authority. This means that the carers for older people with dementia or confusion have been able to access respite placements almost on demand through their social workers.