Residents’ anxiety over Inverness home closure
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A GROUP of elderly people are facing an uncertain future after being told the Inverness house that was to be their “forever” home is to close.
The six men and women live in supported retirement accommodation Abbeyfield House, an eight bedroom former Victorian manse in the Crown area .
The house, run by charity Abbeyfield Scotland, provides independent living and communal lunches and dinners.
Resident Jim Moffat moved in after the death of his wife Una who ran a B&B a few doors from Abbeyfield.
Peebles-born Mr Moffat (84), who has lived in Inverness for 38 years, said: “We are in our twilight years and I thought I was settled here for the rest of my life, but now there is going to be this big disruption.
“It is a bit of an anxious time for us to have to make other arrangements. We all wonder what’s going to happen.”
Abbeyfield Scotland stressed that the house would not close until all residents have been found somewhere suitable to stay, but Mr Moffat wondered how the criteria for “suitable” would be set.
Abbeyfield said: “We have informed the residents and their families at our Inverness house that sadly we will be closing the house. We will now work with residents and their families individually to find alternative arrangements for their accommodation and support, with the support of local partners, following which the house will be closed.
“We are unable to comment further until this process is complete. No resident will be evicted from the property and there is no timescale for the house to close. This will only happen when the last resident has found suitable alternative accommodation.”
The charity decided to close the house as it requires substantial investment to make it fit for purpose for Abbeyfield residents. The house is no longer a preferred option for future residents, said Abbeyfield.
