More than 200 people have signed a petition to save a care home in Hounslow which is threatened with closure.

Heston House would shut under plans from Hounslow Council, saving an estimated £600,000, with its 36 residents to be rehoused elsewhere.

But the families of those living there fear its closure could have a debilitating effect on their relatives' mental and physical wellbeing, especially for those with dementia.

They have launched a petition opposing its closure, which had been signed by 221 people as of Thursday morning (April 9) - a week after being launched.

The petition was started by Najam Hassan, whose 89-year-old grandmother Naseem Sheikh has lived at the home in Vicarage Farm Road, Heston, for 13 years.

"My grandmother is severely disabled due to a high impact stroke which paralysed one half of her body. She has considered Heston House her home for over a decade and is beside herself that the home is at risk," he said.

"Her concerns relate to the uncertainty of her future home as well as her care and moving away from friends; her high quality support team who are highly sensitive to her as a person and her religious and cultural needs."

Mr Hassan added that having worked for a large health and social care provider in the Midlands, he had experienced the impact of relocating care home residents.

"Typically this results in considerable levels of distress suffered by service users and adverse implications such as additional needs arising, sickness, reduction in morale and ultimately death," he said.

Marian Coleshill, of Southall, is among the petition's signatories. She said: "My mother-in-law is a resident there and it is shameful to even think of moving the most vulnerable people in their care that feel at home there."

Under-occupied

Danielle Maule, of Hounslow, who has also signed, said: "I work with people with dementia, and have family members with it, and I believe moving someone with dementia from an environment they are familiar with to somewhere new and strange should only be done because there is a risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves or someone else - not because the council wants to save a bit of money. If you want to save money, then stop digging up the same parts of the high street so often!"

Hounslow Council says the home is under-occupied, with 17 beds vacant, and it would cost up to £10m to refurbish the building to modern standards.

The council claims despite the borough's ageing population, more older people are now being supported to live in their own homes and many value the independence that gives them.

It says closing the home would save £600,000 at a time when central government cuts mean it needs to slash spending by £59m over four years.

A series of meetings have been held with residents and their families, whom the council says it would help to find alternative accommodation should Heston House close. The consultation period is set to end on Friday (April 10) and a decision is due to be announced on June 16.

A council spokesman said: "Due to a reduction of almost £60m in the council's budget over the next four years, the council is looking at how best to deliver its services more efficiently without compromising on quality; this includes reviewing the future of Heston House in consultation with residents living there.

"Our priority will always be to ensure older people who need support receive the best service and that their needs are paramount. Fewer people are living at Heston House than before. This is due to reduced demand for traditional residential care beds as a result of the success of Hounslow Council and NHS policies to support more people in their homes.

"Should the consultation result in the closure of Heston House, residents living there will have their needs thoroughly reassessed and be offered alternative care placements of their choice."

You can view the petition at http://saveheston.co.uk.

Details of the consultation are available at http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/index/council_and_democracy/consultations/heston_house_consultation.htm.