SHELTERED housing residents in Stroud have called for greater measures to tackle social isolation among older people.

Rosa Jamieson, 95, and Betty Nash, 80, say Stroud District Council should be doing more to combat loneliness amongst their fellow residents at Grove Park Road.

The neighbours are calling for greater communication and co-operation between council officers, housing managers and the people that live there.

They say that even small changes could make a huge difference for many of the isolated and more vulnerable residents.

But the council has strongly defended its work at the sheltered housing, saying it provides planned and co-ordinated support and funds numerous social activities.

The council-owned retirement flats in Uplands are currently home to 30 older people over the age of 60.

Rosa, who is disabled, lives alone in one of the flats. She finds it hard to move around the house and struggles to leave the building without help.

She says that apart from trips to the doctors for check-ups, she had only left the site a handful of times in the last six months.

“We just feel completely ignored,” said Rosa, a former custodian of the Subscription Rooms.

“Nobody cares and nobody comes to check if we’re okay. I feel completely forgotten by the council.

“I have barely left Grove Park for six months. If it wasn’t for my neighbours here organising little get-togethers we wouldn’t have anything to do.

“The system we have now just feels like it isolates people –and that’s the last thing people my age need. Especially those living on their own.

“Any complaints we make disappear into thin air. I’ve asked the council so many times to fit a little ramp at the back of my flat so I can walk out into the garden.

“But I was ignored so much that now I’ve given up. I just feel powerless.”

Social activities at Grove Park include weekly coffee mornings and a craft afternoon, lunches and the occasional outing. These are all funded by the council.

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But Rosa says these often have to be organised by residents themselves and can be hard to attend for disabled people.

Her neighbour Betty, who has lived at Grove Park for 15 years, said the level of communication and visits from management staff had fallen over the last few years.

“We used to have live-in managers, but they went a long time ago,” she said. “Now we just have part time staff and a community alarm service.

“What staff we do have are nice, but they have so many people to check on and so much work to do that they can only care for the most vulnerable people here.

“We perhaps see them twice a week. That can mean a lot of days when you don’t see another person, especially when you don’t have nurses of helpers.

“There is just no personal touch anymore. I realise it’s never going to go back to the way it was. But a little more communication would go an awful long way.”

A spokesman for Stroud District Council said: “Sheltered housing schemes are not care homes, which is a common misconception.

“We provide a basic level of support, via a support plan, to allow people to live independently in their homes.

“There are a number of social activities at the Grove Park sheltered scheme including a weekly craft and chat session, which is paid for by the council.

“An exercise class was closed due to lack of interest but has moved to nearby Grange View sheltered scheme. It is well attended and welcomes Grove Park residents.

“Grove Park is also a member of the `Stroud older people’s community hub’, which advertises activities in the Uplands area including a memory club, a friendship group and exercise classes, all of which are publicised within the scheme.

“Our support workers also work closely with residents who would like to attend events but find mobility or transport a problem.

“With respect to Rosa’s specific circumstances, as part of her support plan, the scheme support co-ordinator visits Rosa every fortnight and has made a referral to the county council social services function which looks after the installation of mobility aids such as ramps to resident’s homes.”