This is an update to my letter, What a way to treat elderly (Oxford Mail, October 13). Has my brother's life improved?

It has not. It would be fair to say it is much worse. Not only has he had to put up with the alcoholic residents still in place at Rowlands House at Risinghurst, Oxford, there are now constant visits from other non-resident alcoholics and travellers to contend with.

A meeting was held at Rowlands House on October 17 with four representatives from Oxford City Council and a parish councillor for Risinghurst.

While they were there, they saw the resident causing problems, and several of his friends turning up at the flats carrying a large quantity of strong lager.

After some time, the councillors went to check upstairs and returned to tell my brother they could not guarantee his safety, and advised him to stay elsewhere that night. He stayed at his daughter's house.

My worry is, knowing he is vulnerable, why has the council not provided adequate security?

These councillors appear to have bent over backwards for the alcoholics, while my brother lives in terror.

Alcoholics are devious, manipulative bullies who, while suffering from a recognised illness, will stop at nothing to continue their chosen lifestyle. This has seriously damaging repercussions for the people who have to live with and around them.

When my brother moved to Rowlands House 13 years ago with his wife, they thought they had found their ideal peaceful retirement home.

Sadly, his wife and soulmate passed away some years later. He carried on working for two years and still in grief, didn't notice that the community around him was slowly being destroyed.

In the end, he realised he was surrounded in the adjoining flats by alcoholics and vowed to try to restore the community to the way it was.

He was a lone voice in the wilderness. I thought that when councillors are elected by the residents of this city, they have a responsibility to those voters to serve the needs of the people, including vulnerable pensioners like my brother.

There appears to be an ostrich mentality about this appalling situation at Rowlands House which is worsening daily.

This council and those responsible for the placement of residents in Rowlands House should offer my brother a full apology and complete restitution for all the telephone calls and time taken to do their job for them. This council should hang its head in shame.

In closing, I would like to thank Oxford East MP Andrew Smith and all those who have written in support of my brother.

MICHAEL SINNOTT Headley Way Headington Oxford