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I love my care job, but can I afford to do it? I love my care job, but can I afford to do it?
(3 days later)
Yesterday, I started work at 7.30am and finished at 5pm, then I worked a 10pm to 7am night shift. I washed and dressed people, cleaned up their urine, their faeces and their homes. I gave them their medication, fed them, talked to them, held the hands of the dying, put flowers on the table. There are people at the care agency I work for who do this 50-60 hours a week for £7.10 an hour. I love my job and derive great satisfaction from it, but one day someone will tell me they pay their cleaner £12 an hour and it will be the final straw.Name and address suppliedYesterday, I started work at 7.30am and finished at 5pm, then I worked a 10pm to 7am night shift. I washed and dressed people, cleaned up their urine, their faeces and their homes. I gave them their medication, fed them, talked to them, held the hands of the dying, put flowers on the table. There are people at the care agency I work for who do this 50-60 hours a week for £7.10 an hour. I love my job and derive great satisfaction from it, but one day someone will tell me they pay their cleaner £12 an hour and it will be the final straw.Name and address supplied
• The discussion of averages (Letters, 6 August) reminds me of the sad tale of the statistician who drowned in a lake with an average depth of six inches.Jonathan BartonBrighton• The discussion of averages (Letters, 6 August) reminds me of the sad tale of the statistician who drowned in a lake with an average depth of six inches.Jonathan BartonBrighton
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• Photograph the scene of the burglary and email it in (Report, 7 August)? Does Sara Thornton of the National Police Chiefs Council not realise that my phone, camera, tablet and laptop are probably the very first things to have been stolen?David CollinsKidderminster, Worcestershire• Photograph the scene of the burglary and email it in (Report, 7 August)? Does Sara Thornton of the National Police Chiefs Council not realise that my phone, camera, tablet and laptop are probably the very first things to have been stolen?David CollinsKidderminster, Worcestershire
• I have always found that the culprit in a TV murder mystery (Letters, 7 August) is invariably the character who says, “How can I help you, Inspector?” They are normally pouring tea at the time.Richard WalkerHangzhou, China• I have always found that the culprit in a TV murder mystery (Letters, 7 August) is invariably the character who says, “How can I help you, Inspector?” They are normally pouring tea at the time.Richard WalkerHangzhou, China
• I have a friend who went to live in Australia 40 years ago. We kept in touch by phone. For years I thought she owned a fruit and veg shop in Melbourne. One day I realised it was a futon bed shop (Letters, 6 August). We still discuss the cost of potatoes and plums.Elspeth ReidChepstow, Monmouthshire• I have a friend who went to live in Australia 40 years ago. We kept in touch by phone. For years I thought she owned a fruit and veg shop in Melbourne. One day I realised it was a futon bed shop (Letters, 6 August). We still discuss the cost of potatoes and plums.Elspeth ReidChepstow, Monmouthshire