IN January, I lost my mum. She spent the last 18 months of her life in a nursing home.

I am not in any way putting the home down. My point is this -- today's society is a throw away one.

In my grandmother's day, people looked after their own family. When one became old my grandmother would deliver babies and lay out the dead.

She told me she put pennies on their eyes to make sure they were shut.

I am a village girl born and bred, and I think we could learn a thing or two from the Asian people.

They really support their families.

Hazel A Brown

Carslake Avenue

Bolton