Institution and Community

Abstract

For those older people in Europe who need personal care the range available is defined, in broad terms, by whether or not it can be provided at home. Despite widespread variations in the balance of the different elements in care systems, this may be said to be the dominant European concern in social welfare for older people (Jamieson, 1991a). In this chapter I want to focus on developments taking place within and around the divide between institutional and home-based care services. Each will be examined in turn before more general trends are explored.