[Margaret Pilkington]

As for your comment about the Big Society, and how society values certain sectors of the work force.....well, Guinness I am sorry but that is quite plainly a ridiculous statement(and I mean that with respect).
Firstly the 'Big Society' was a sound bite. Probably dreamed up by some Public Relations company who thought it sounded like what the electorate would fall for......just because a politician mentions something does not make it happen. Why would young people do something for old folk for nothing?
As for the comment about the way society values people on the job they do.....well that is risible. If that were the case then firemen, the police, doctors, nurses, teachers would be on the salaries that footballers get and footballers would be on a heck of a lot less.

Old folk, disabled people are not a priority of society.....as we get older and as our health fails we become invisible.....disposable almost. But then if you remember the Dickensian times you call the old days you will already know that.
Why should a carer hoof from one old persons house to another's to cook clean and deal with personal needs for a pittance? Even if you liked what you were doing, the economics of doing such a job make impractical and uneconomic......gratitude from society goes nowhere when you are trying to pay the electricity bill with a cheque from the Bank of Thanks.
So if ALDI or some other supermarket pays more.....then pure economics will dictate that that is where you work.....especially if you are the sole provider.
How long will it be before the old and infirm are encouraged to shuffle off this mortal coil?
Just so the their house can be given over to some family to live in.
Society in general does not value the old and infirm.........so they are not going to pay much to keep them comfortable in their dotage........so if you really want to be comfortable in your old age then either save up now and be prepared to spend your savings on care, or suffer the consequences.