Senior citizens living in government homes built and run mostly at public expense should be thankful and grateful for the comprehensive and generally very satisfactory service they receive.

Admittedly, they also contribute financially for the facilities provided by surrendering a portion of their pension in favour of the public exchequer. This contribution, however, is generally quite small compared to the value and expenses involved in the accommodation facilities and the overall care and attention they enjoy in return.

It is the senior citizens, fending for themselves by staying in private homes that are comparatively much worse off due to having to carry on their shoulders a heavy and often crippling financial burden.

This is particularly crippling if both senior members of the family need to seek shelter and help in a private home.

In such circumstances the financial burden is so heavy that one’s whole pension plus an extra amount from other sources will have to be paid out as residential home charges.

It would be only fair and reasonable if such crippling expenses were to be mitigated by exempting the payment of income tax on certified yearly expenditures and outlays necessary to live in a private sheltered home. By so doing the taxpayer is relieving the exchequer of the expenses to look after and cater to their needs as those other senior citizens who are provided with accommodation and necessities, virtually all at public expense.

This arrangement, I believe, would be fully in conformity with social justice without hurting anyone or disturbing social equilibrium.