When Today reporter Jon Manel asked people to send in their experiences of elderly care for his series of reports he was overwhelmed by the response.
"Most of us have or will experience the challenges of providing or finding appropriate care for elderly relatives. Unfortunately, those challenges are likely to increase, with the number of people aged 65 and over expected to rise by 49% during the next two decades.
"We received hundreds of powerful and often moving accounts of listeners' experiences. With my own father (Jon and his father pictured below) suffering from Parkinson's Disease and a form of dementia in a care home, many of your letters and emails sounded rather familiar. 
"My series of reports and investigations are based on some of your stories and concerns and will be concentrating on the kind of care the elderly receive and the protection these vulnerable men and women are given.
"In this particular series, we aren't looking at the financial aspects of providing care and it's impossible for us to look at all the many concerns which you have raised but, nonetheless, we are hoping to draw attention to some important issues."
Jon Manel
Jon Manel has compiled a series of special reports for us based on your stories and your concerns. You can hear the findings and read the reports through the links below:
Janet Davey talks to her mother Joan about life in her care home.
Diary of a social worker: A worker in hospital explains what the job entails.
A seventy year old woman agreed to act as an undercover reporter in a care home: She reports on her experiences.
Listen to long versions of the reports.
We examined the role of the watchdog which inspects care homes in England and compiled a questionnaire of their staff.
Listen to the report and to our interview with the chief executive of the watchdog.
Today listeners: your views
You and Yours series examining social care provision
