A petition to save a Paisley care home has been signed by almost 2000 people. 

The 'Save Montrose Care Home' appeal was launched by Laurie McEachren last week and has nearly reached its target of 2500 signatures.

The future of Montrose, in Foxbar, is in serious doubt after an assessment suggested it would be the “most appropriate” option to close when weighed against Hunterhill and Renfrew care homes.

The Change.org petition aims to challenge the Intergration Joint Board (IJB) which has proposed to shut a number of Renfrewshire homes to help close a funding gap.

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Montrose Care Home currently cares for older adults with dementia and who are vulnerable.

In the petition, a message from Laurie said that closing the home would severely impact those in the home.

She said: "This decision would have grave effects on the residents of Montrose, their families, the staff and the community.

"Forcing residents with a high level of needs, to move from familiar surroundings can and will have detrimental effects to their health and wellbeing.

"Many of the residents' families live locally and travelling to see their loved ones on one or two busses every day is simply unfeasible.

"'Annie's Law' introduced in 2021, recognises that family and friends play an essential role in the health and wellbeing of people who live in care homes and that every older adult within a care home has the right to connect with family, friends and communities.

"They are now putting barriers in place for residents to connect with loved ones as the residents would be split between both Hunterhill Care Home and Renfrew Care Home making it hard for loved ones to commute.

"Uprooting vulnerable adults from a place that has been their safe haven and home for so many years will cause stress and distress to everyone involved so please sign our petition to STOP MONTROSE FROM CLOSING!!!"

One person who signed the petition said that it "isn't right" that the IJB proposes to close down homes that care for vulnerable people.

Another said: "I see the wonderful care my aunt receives whilst suffering from dementia. This is such an important service please keep this open."

A third said: "My mother has been a resident for over four years. This is her HOME. Renfrewshire Council are in effect EVICTING her and all the other residents from their HOMES."

A fourth said: "My dad is a resident in Montrose care home, he's only just settled there.

"This is a beautiful care home and has stunning views of the Braes and a lovely big lake with swans and ducks, the staff are all amazing.

"The council should not be closing down care homes! What are they thinking?"

It is believed that a protest outside the Renfrewshire Council building is taking place today with people voicing their concerns about the closure.

To sign the petition click HERE.

Renfrewshire HSCP say that if proposals for the closure of Montrose Care Home go ahead residents will be transferred to homes in Renfrew and Hunterhill.

A spokesperson from Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) said: “Like all HSCPs across Scotland, our officers are working hard to identify areas to address the budget gap, which is currently projected as £14.7 million, to ensure financial sustainability going forward, and to protect core services.

"We are looking across all services to identify savings, but the initial proposals put forward for consideration represent areas where evidence shows we can safely make our existing service model more efficient.

“In recent years, we have seen a reduction in demand for residential care, with more people choosing to be supported at home and within the community for as long as possible.

"Renfrewshire HSCP has invested significantly in our Care at Home and associated services to ensure we can meet this increasing demand.

"This trend is mirrored in national policy for older people.

"We have also evidenced a rise in the complexity of needs, meaning more people are likely to need nursing care rather than residential care.

“As a result, across our three internal care homes, we currently have unutilised beds and have had significant over-capacity for a number of years.

“We have engaged with residents, families and staff and fully understand how unsettling this is.

"We have listened to the voices of everyone who have shared their views with us over recent months.

"If the IJB makes the decision to proceed, we are committed to working with residents and their families to make sure their needs and preferences are prioritised.

"As part of our engagement, we also provided reassurance to our staff that if the proposal to close Montrose is approved, they would be able to transfer to one of our remaining care homes – Renfrew or Hunterhill.”  

We previously reported that a group of parents and carers are fighting to save the Milldale Centre in Linwood following a proposed decision which is looking to merge the centre with the Mirin in Paisley.

This is another proposal by the IJB to help tackle the budget gap.