COUNCIL and health bosses have teamed up to help Bolton's old folk stay in their own homes.

Government money has been allocated to social services and Bolton's two health trusts to provide a "halfway house" at Kearsley and better home-based health services.

Some £200,000 will be used in the development of Alderbank residential home in Kearsley to provide specialist care for people discharged from hospital.

It will provide physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nursing services to elderly people who have spent time in hospital.

After a period of time there and once people are considered well, they will be allowed to go home, preventing the need for them to to go into long-term residential care. Mike Cooney, Assistant Director of Social Services, said: "The vast majority of elderly people do not want to go into residential care, they overwhelmingly want to stay in their own homes."

Seven places will originally be provided at Alderbank and, once current funding ends, social services and the health authority will investigate investing in the service long term.

Working alongside Alderbank will be a team of health and social service professionals from Bolton Community Healthcare Trust, who will go into people's homes to provide care for patients, either to prevent their admission into hospital or after they have been in hospital.

A total of £100,000 of Government cash is being spent on boosting home-based services.

It is part of an £18 million Government scheme to deal specifically with winter pressures, although Bolton is anxious to extend its commitment beyond the next few months.

In a Government survey, every local authority was found to be taking action to cope with the current winter pressures.

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