VALLEYVIEW Residence's claim it closed a wing and 14 beds due to a lack of demand has been criticised by a local woman who had an application for an elderly family member rejected.
The woman, who did not want to be named, said she applied for a high care bed a month ago but was told the facility was not taking new applicants until November.
"I'm looking after the family member at the moment because there is no other option but if he gets any worse I will have to send him out of town because I haven't heard anything from ValleyView," she said.
"Management hasn't even acknowledged my application."
ValleyView operator Southern Cross Care's chief executive Errol Turner said monitoring had shown there was no longer demand to justify keeping the wing open.
He said anyone who had completed an application had been placed on a waiting list until demand was high enough to make the wing viable.
"This means that from a diligence, care, and cost perspective, we have been sustaining 64 beds while the community demand is for 50 beds," Mr Turner said. "That's why it is prudent to align the demand with cost to ensure long-term viability."
Affected residents had begun to move to other wings in the facility in recent weeks.
Mr Turner said if there was an increase in demand for beds, Southern Cross Care would ensure they were immediately put back on line.
Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said ValleyView management seemed to have changed its focus recently. "I think it is incumbent on the chief executive and Southern Cross Care to make a very public statement on why some people cannot be housed at this facility while at the same time they're closing beds," Mr Murray said.
"ValleyView residence itself has been funded by the community and government for the current buildings to the tune of around $4.5 million." Mr Murray said other communities had both high and low care beds available for aged residents and Collie should be afforded the same.
