Residents at a care home in Macclesfield have been given just weeks to find alternative care due to understaffing and a ‘substantial remodel.’
It is understood that the renovations of Riseley House Care Home, Cumberland Street, will take two years to complete, and residents are being moved out.
Emma Morris’ 67-year-old mother, Margaret, has lived at the home for just over a year.
Emma, of Thornway, Bollington, said: “I don’t think going into a different environment is going to do her mind any good.
“She’s settled in there and I’m concerned that [moving] is going to make her dementia worse because she’s gotten used to her surroundings.”
Margaret, who also has Parkinson’s disease, was ‘adamant’ she wanted to live at Riseley House, largely so her 15-year-old dog Rusty could stay with her.
Emma received a call from the care home on January 21 and was informed she had 12 weeks to find alternative care.
Just five days later, on January 26, Emma was contacted again and told the care home is now closing on February 20.
Sarah Benson, Head of Care at Riseley House, said: “As we’ve expanded into our upper floors, it’s become clear that the original building design isn’t fit for purpose.
“Rather than compromise on care quality, we’ve made the decision to pause operations and address these layout issues properly.”
Ms Benson added that this decision was ‘accelerated by recent departures of staff that prompted a decision as to whether to hire replacements or to bring forward the remodel.’
In last year’s adult social care workforce survey, the Department of Health & Social Care reported that 55.2% of respondents in the North West reported retaining adult social care staff as more challenging.
A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council confirmed that the council and the Integrated Care Board have been informed about Riseley House’s closure.
The spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the care home owners to ensure that all residents are assisted to move to suitable alternative accommodation in a timely way.”
Riseley House Care Home received the ratings of ‘inadequate’ and ‘requires improvement’ from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in their 2024 and 2025 reports, respectively.
After these ratings, Emma said she ‘questioned’ whether to put her mum in there and admitted she had complained ‘about the odd thing on the odd occasion.’
Emma explained she had complained about her mother’s room ‘not being so clean’ and ‘a handrail in her bathroom that was hanging off the wall.’
After attempting to find another care home that will take Margaret’s dog, Emma has been forced to find elsewhere for him to live.
Emma also faces the challenge of finding another care home in an ideal location.
Riseley House, just a 10-minute drive from Emma’s home, has been ideal for Margaret’s daughter and grandchildren to visit her easily.
Emma said: “I don’t want to find her nursing home that’s miles away [because it would] restrict her friends from seeing her.
“It just seems to have happened all of a sudden, which concerns me.”
The CQC has been contacted for comment.