A CARE home worker has slammed proposals to replace a day centre after pensioners 'cried their eyes out' about its potential closure.

Rachel Pitts said she was 'absolutely shocked' by Oxfordshire County Council's suggestion to scrap Abingdon Health and Wellbeing Centre and introduce a new service that might not have a dedicated physical base in the town.

The Audlett Drive centre is one of 22 building-based daytime centres for the elderly and disabled that the council is set to replace with a community support service, saving between £2.4m and £3.4m.

Abingdon Court Care Home activity coordinator Ms Pitts, who attended a consultation session last week about the new service, said: "There were people there in their 80s and 90s crying their eyes out. They could be stuck in their house for weeks on end and not see anyone.

"The day centre is about friendship and companionship. People are more and more isolated in their homes and they all look forward to going, they are like a little family there."

Last year the council proposed cutting its entire £3m budget for daytime support for older people but unveiled revised plans this month after campaigners piled on pressure.

It pledged to continue a core service for people with assessed eligible needs through personal budgets and is consulting on two models to replace the 22 centres.

The most similar would introduce eight multi-functional hubs serving the elderly and people with disabilities or dementia, working alongside a smaller outreach service. One centre would be in Abingdon but not necessarily in the same building.

The other model proposed, however, would champion 'outreach care' and utilise community facilities such as libraries to offer services, with four bases reserved for those with complex needs. In that case, Abingdon's nearest base would be in Oxford or Didcot.

Appleford Drive resident Norma Queralt, whose 95-year-old mother used the Abingdon day centre for several years, said it would be a 'great loss' if it closed.

She said: "It was pivotal in allowing my parents access to other people. It was a lifeline for my dad who just needed to make some new friends."

She stressed that transport is a key problem for people whose mobility means they struggle to access other services.

Milton Heights resident Lynda Walters said her 90-year-old mum Bella Keen, who has dementia, relishes the social interaction and nutritious hot meals she gets at the Abingdon centre.

The 63-year-old said: "People need to get out; they are prisoners in their own homes and get lonely and depressed and frustrated."

A decision on the two options will not be made until February and funding will continue for the current system until the end of August 2017.

To comment on the consultation click here. 

The council has stressed that there are about 150 community-run daytime services in the county that do not receive any of its funding.

Of 47 services that do get its funding, their annual grants will be cut under the new system from £992,000 to £250,000.