Message for Prime Minister Boris Johnson: the government needs to put more money into social care.

That's the strongly held view expressed by two highly experienced managers of residential care homes.

They were talking after the re-launch of the Avalon Suite for people living with dementia at Fletcher House care home in Glastonbury Road, Wells.

"The government also needs to recognise that being a carer is a professional job which should be a career like NHS nurses as our population gets older," said Sue Harvey, residential operations manager for Somerset Care Ltd, which runs Fletcher House.

"They act as carers, social workers and counsellors who deserve a career path."

Fletcher House manager Trudy Bower agreed and added: "It is a demanding job emotionally and physically.

"Carers take their emotions home because they do not show them at work. They think of our residents as if they could be their Mum or Dad who deserve the best care."

Sue said more cases of dementia may be occurring but the rise could also be because there is less stigma about the disease now with more people are coming forward with the symptoms.

Reports in the media about celebrities like Barbara Windsor's dementia and social media were also raising its profile.

The Avalon Suite opened two years ago and has been re-launched with easier access for residents to move outside to the gardens, redecoration and new furniture.

The new décor is designed to create a calmer and more relaxed environment.

"Also the call bells used by residents to alert carers when they need attention were loud but now they are silent with the alert making our carers' pagers vibrate," said Trudy.

"Bells can remind residents of stressful situations and it is important to enhance a calm and relaxed environment when lots of people are living together."

• The Lawrence Centre charity was delighted to raise £640 at their Wells Moat Boat Races stall.

First prize in the raffle was a Queen Street Deli hamper donated by Probusiness and won by Angela Harper from Coxley.