THE company looking after elderly people at Lyes Grove sheltered housing in Dilton Marsh has apologised to them, after the OAPs claimed they had not been provided with proper help to live independently.

Senior managers from the firm visited the home, which has 19 flats and bungalows, twice this week to meet residents and listen to their fears.

As revealed in last week’s Wiltshire Times, they claim that since Wiltshire Council handed Somerset Care the Help to Live at Home contract for west Wiltshire in 2011, the support and care they receive has been non-existent.

On Tuesday Martin Ross, Somerset Care’s area manager for Wiltshire, listened to their claims, and returned on Wednesday to discuss the issues again over lunch.

Resident Julie Rice-Harvey, 73, said: “The meetings have gone extremely well and they have said they want to work with us. They held their hands up and asked us to give them another chance.

“Martin listened to what we had to say and he apologised for what had happened over the past few months. He also said they should have monitored staff more closely.

“We shouldn’t have had to resort to this, but thanks to the Wiltshire Times we are finally getting somewhere.

“We had two wardens on Friday running around like headless chickens doing assessments.”

A spokesman for Somerset Care said: “The residents of Lyes Grove have expressed concerns around the change in the sheltered model.

“The new approach is designed to tailor support to people as and when they need it, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council said: “Our key concern is to ensure the residents of Lyes Grove are receiving the appropriate care to meet their needs.

“Working closely with Somerset Care we will address these concerns and keep in regular contact with the residents.”