A woman whose elderly mother uses a day centre for Alzheimer’s disease sufferers that is facing cuts says she and other carers are being kept in the dark over the changes.

The Alzheimer’s Society, which runs the sessions at the Quaker Meeting House in Hemnall Street, Epping, announced it would change the day-long sessions currently held twice a week to two half-day sessions, following changes in Essex County Council funding.

Karen Poulter, 52, whose 92-year-old mother Philomena Whaley uses the service, said the charity had still not told carers or volunteers the date the changes would happen, or what day the new sessions will be held on.

The resident of Beaconfield Road, Epping, said: “I’ve been waiting for the area manager to ring me to give me some sound advice.

“It’s been eight or nine weeks since we first got the letter about changes and we still don’t know what day it’s going to be.

“My concern is who’s going to run it – are the volunteers still going to be available?”

She said she was also worried that the new activity sessions the charity said it would offer would exclude people who, like her mother, have mobility problems.

She added: “With the nature of dementia, some people wander off. My mother has problems getting around and I’m still waiting to hear if it’s going to be suitable for her.

“Why change something that’s worked for 20 years?”

An Alzheimer’s Society spokeswoman said: “The sessions will continue to run in their existing format until at least the end of this month.

“We are currently finalising details, including a start date for the new sessions and will be communicating with those people affected by the change as soon as we are able to.

“These new activity sessions are just one of a number of brand new local Alzheimer's Society services to support people to live well with dementia in Essex, as part of our new contract with the county council.”