They may not then be in the best position to make a decision on what to do. This is a guide to how the system currently works. Home care Home care services include meals on wheels, respite care, community nursing and day care centres. Private and voluntary organisations can be contracted by local authorities to provide support, such as meals on wheels services and respite care, on their behalf. NHS care, which includes home adaptations and community nursing services such as chiropody, are free.
Local authorities can charge for services and are increasingly doing so because of budget cutbacks.
Since April 1993, social services have increasingly being targeting the most frail, providing more services for fewer people. Local authorities also provide grants for hom adaptations and aids. Carers, who are relatives or friends, also provide support to people living at home on a voluntary basis. The government has recently published the first National Carers' Strategy which includes extra funding for respite care to give carers a break. There has been a big fall in the number of places in local authority residential care homes since the introduction of legislation to encourage them to contract services to private and voluntary sector homes.