I am upset about the comments regarding the financial difficulties of rest homes (Opinion, February 14)

Rest homes have been subsidising their businesses for years because they care. We do not want or ask to be subsidised. All we ask for is a fair wage for our staff and our own efforts. Why do you think so many homes are closing? It is because they cannot afford to stay open.

Yes, we could all go off and start nice, clean little computer businesses - but what then would happen to all the vulnerable elderly suffering senile dementia, Alzheimer's, incontinence, etc?

They would be blocking all the beds on NHS hospital wards and who care then? The very people who write uninformed letters to newspapers will care when they cannot get into hospitals for their operations. This is already happening.

Rest homes get £221 per week for an elderly person in care; £1.31 per hour. We have to have at least two care staff on duty at all times plus a separate cook and cleaner at £4.60 each per hour. Add to that holidays (four weeks), time-and-half Sundays, double-time bank holidays, SSP, SMP, National Insurance, taxes, food, heat, gas, telephones, petrol, mortgages, water rates, council tax, lift

maintenance, general maintenance, replacing urine-soaked carpets and so on.

I think it's about time I got out of the kitchen too.

-Rest home owner for 22 years