I AM totally sympathetic to the Daily Echo reader who expressed their dismay at spiralling care home fees (Letters, September 11).

I read this article with complete compassion and regard. Ironically I could have written it myself given that it is a replication of my own experience. My family and I have found ourselves in the exact same situation.

My father has vascular dementia and has been in residential care since June, all his savings are being depleted in care costs and whilst we have the reassurance that his needs are being met, there will come a time where his life savings will be exhausted.

Then what? Despite working all his life paying taxes and national insurance, there appears to be little consideration or support to his existence despite serving his country. It saddens me that those who worked hard and strived to live an honest lifestyle are held in very low regard at a time of life when they should be respected and supported .

I investigated a care annuity which may be an option for this reader and I was almost reassured by the £75,000 cap which is shortly to be introduced only to find that it relates to care and not bed and board, which could be more than three quarters of the annual fee anyway! I also found that there appears to be a monopoly as to fees and they fluctuate between care homes. There is an open market to charges with little legislation.

I can only conclude that there is very little consideration for this generation and that they are almost responsible for their own outcome despite failing health and at great anguish to them and their loved ones – how can this be?

If I hadn’t been brought up by hard-working parents I would be inclined to throw caution to the wind, have no savings to invest for my future to guarantee my care without bringing anguish to my loved ones! After all, working hard and saving has been detrimental to my father in the long-run.

NAME & ADDRESS SUPPLIED.