THE closure of residential care facilities at a home for the elderly has been described as scandalous by the sister of one resident.

Sixty elderly residents will be affected by the closure of three residential care lodges at Trees Park Healthcare, near Darlington, in three months' time.

Affinity Healthcare, which owns Trees Park, is closing the lodges as part of a "refocusing of priorities," because the residential care side of its business is no longer profitable.

The sister of one resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said how worrying it is to have elderly residents forced out at a time when there are very few alternative homes in the area.

The woman is hopeful that her sister will be among a few of the residents to be reassessed and deemed eligible for nursing care at Trees Park, so she will not have to move.

"I feel very sorry for all the residents. I think it is absolutely scandalous that they have to move," she said.

"I know it's a money-making firm, but that's these peoples' home. I don't know what's going to happen to them all, because there's hardly any other beds available in Darlington."

A spokesman for Trees Park Healthcare said: "Despite investing in and developing the units, the occupancy levels have remained low and, as a result, the company has recorded a loss. To try to recover this position the company has decided to withdraw from residential care."

The firm is working with Darlington Borough Council's Social Services department to resettle the residents forced to move.

A council spokesman said: "We have expressed our concern about the three-month period to re-allocate and resettle people from Trees Park. Given the capacity of the market, this sets us a challenging agenda."