FIRST, it was reported that all elderly people were being offered 'flu and pneumonia vaccines so that they did not become ill in winter and block hospital beds.

Many wards for the elderly have been closed or are short term. This means that they have to either go into homes or stay at home on 'Community Care.'

The latter provides good care on an adequate budget, but only for a few hours a day.

The new proposal "Flats plan to help hospital bed crisis," (LET, December 12), shuffles elderly people, who block hospital beds but who still need caring for, into empty sheltered accommodation before entering hospital.

This temporary accommodation doesn't have resident doctors and nurses, and wardens shouldn't be burdened with this extra responsibility. If the elderly recover, presumably they will be sent back home again.

If not - back to hospital where sick people are nursed? They would again block a bed and so the cycle starts again.

Also in your article, a councillor stated "If not offered accommodation, these people would have to stay in hospital."

'These people' are not aliens or refugees, but people who have grown old.

Parents, relatives, loved ones, people who fought in the wars and worked hard.

Now because they are old, frail and sick they dare to need money spending on them to be cared for. What a cheek!

Perhaps if politicians remembered these basic facts, they would have a more sympathetic caring attitude, and act accordingly - hold out their hand to help, instead of waving them goodbye to their next port of call.

KATHLEEN BULCOCK (Mrs), Wilkie Avenue, Burnley.

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