The South Dunedin care home allowed 27 residents back yesterday, more than three weeks after all 93 were evacuated when the building was flooded.
The facility's residents and staff fear they might have to do it all over again as any solution to South Dunedin's flooding issues is at least three to four years away.
Manager Robyn Bowie was emotional when she described the impact the evacuation and flooding had on residents.
``I don't think anyone can appreciate what this meant for people. I had residents frightened and crying, asking me to stop them from leaving.''
Some residents had been moved two or three times while others had seriously injured themselves, Mrs Bowie said.
A small number of residents had died since being evacuated, she said.
While the care home would investigate ways to prevent future flooding, such as back-flow valves, it was up to the Dunedin City Council to tackle the bigger issues of flooding in the area, Mrs Bowie said.
``I'm sorry to harp on, but the council knows what the problem is. But they're making other things more important than these elderly, vulnerable people.''
The council did not respond to questions yesterday, but last week a spokeswoman said it had proposed spending $43million in its draft 10-year plan on stormwater improvements in South Dunedin and on an upgrade of the Green Island wastewater treatment plant.
But because of the project's size it was likely to be three to four years until work started.
By the time the proposed work was finished, the rest-home could be flooded another two or three times, Mrs Bowie said.
``It's just not right,'' she said.
Frances Hohaia was one of the residents who were relocated to another residential centre in Otago or Southland and was delighted to be able to return yesterday.
``It's just like returning home. It means a lot.''
The 84-year-old said she wanted to talk ``face to face'' to councillors to share with them her experience of being taken away from her home.
``At our age it really upsets you - one old man burst into tears when he walked in, saying `I'm home'. It's just terrible.''
Other residents were rehomed with their families.
Heather Sutherland said she and her brother had looked after their mother, Nola, for the past three weeks, which had impacted on all their lives.
``We were lucky we were able to look after Mum ... but from a personal perspective, we saw what it did to her and the impact it had on our family.''
If the council knew what the residents and their families had been through, they would act more quickly, she said.
