I read the letter from Joyce Ruiz with interest, Poor deal for care workers (Oxford Mail, October 11).

My mother-in-law is 93 and still lives in her own house. However, since having two hip replacements, she has needed carers to help her shower and get her lunch.

She was very happy with the care agency she had, Securecare.

Its staff were very good and she had got to know them over the years.

However, early this year she had a letter to say that the council was no longer using Securecare and she would have to change to another agency.

Naturally, she did not want to change, but the only way she could stay with Securecare was to open a new bank account (she couldn't use her current one into which her pension is paid).

As she is virtually housebound, this was not possible.

We inquired if we could open an account for her - no, we couldn't - then we discovered that even if we could get her to the bank to open a new account, she would have to do a twice yearly audit of money in and out of her account.

How many people of 93 can do this? So she changed to the council agency.

Many staff, as Ms Ruiz says, do not understand English and as my mother-in-law is quite deaf, it is even more difficult for her.

The person who came to assess her didn't know what a trifle was!

My mother-in-law asked one evening carer to pull her bedroom curtains and take up a glass of water.

He began to open her lounge curtains, even though it was dark outside, and when she went to bed, there was no glass of water.

Every time I visit, I hear: "Guess what the carer did?" and then follows some tale of woe. If this is the council trying to save money, I don't think much of it.

Does it do these things to annoy and confuse older people?

I dread getting old, seeing how our pensioners are treated today.

Thanks, Securecare, for all your help and care - I hope you will be back some day.

LINDA KING Cowley Oxford