SIR - I want to highlight the caring past of Stowford Lodge, and argue it should still be used for that.
My husband, Lt Col Robert Nicoll, who served in the Dorset regiment, spent time at Stowford Lodge as a patient, and the care he received there was excellent; they were absolutely marvellous
His dementia had been getting progressively worse in the early 1990s, until he had to go into care because I could no longer look after him in 1995, and he lived at Stowford Lodge until his death a year later.
They gave him things to do all day, they kept all the patients occupied; it was brilliant. Providing respite care is so important and I really believe, as a facility, it should still be used for that.
Hearing about it now, I just think it really has so much more to offer.
Rosemary Nicoll
via email
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