'The whole process of moving is so stressful and traumatic' Dementia Resource Centre users in Peterborough react to building sale falling through

Users of Peterborough’s Dementia Resource Centre have been left up in the air as to what the long term future will be.

On Wednesday (February 12), Peterborough City Council announced that the sale of the current centre on York Road has fallen through with a potential buyer pulling out of the deal.

The previous arrangement was the for the building to operate as normal until March with the proceeds from the sale used to finance the changes to Bretton Library to create a space for the two to co-exist.

The building has now been placed back on the market, with users of the centre being informed that the York Road site will remain in operation right up until a sale is finalised, however long that will take.

This news has been welcomed by users rather than having moving to temporary accommodation, causing more distress to people living with dementia and their carers.

Louise Yates, who has been campaigning for the centre since budget cuts were first announced, said: “It would be nice to know for sure where we are at. A lot of people might think, that we’re here and we are going to stay for good but I don’t want people to put their faith into false hope. We have been told that the sale process will be restarted so we will have to wait and see what happens.

“For the people living with dementia, it’s so upsetting. They just need to know for sure what is happening but there is just no way to know that at the moment.

"It’s been hard enough to say to them, that we are now moving and now that has all changed again. The whole process of moving is so stressful and traumatic for them.

“We have been told that we will be staying at York Road until the sale of the building, which is good. We don’t want to move into somewhere that isn’t going to be the final home and then move again, because every time you do that, it is really distressing.

“York Road is such a lovely place and it is like a home to them. Anybody moving home can be a bit traumatic but when you’re living with a condition like Dementia, it makes it so much harder for them and the carers in turn as well. You have to try and comfort and reassure. I know lots of people that have been through lots of upset trying to explain the whole situation.”

Louise has also thanked the council and the officers close to the centre for listening to carers throughout the process of the relocation and designing of the centre’s provision, even with a 51% budget cut.

She added: “The council are aware of how important the DRC is and that there are people there that will put up a fight for the centre’s best interests.

“We now there are limitations with that the council actually can provide but we know the people at the council that are helping us and that care, whereas before, we didn’t. Now they have got to know us, the council do care what happens. Through working with them, I can see that they do actually care and that they are doing the best they can in a bad situation.”