Introduction

Chapter 4 has shown how challenging it would be to meet all of the care shortage by expanding formal care. The vast bulk of care hours comes from the unpaid sector, so it needs to expand at least as fast as the population in need. Hopefully it can help to dampen the rising trend of need for formal care, by supporting people at an early stage of their difficulties and helping them to stay in good health – and obviously happier – for longer. There is a need to widen the circle of support, especially for isolated seniors and family carers. This chapter shows how friends and neighbours can help with that part of ‘moderate needs’ which involves instrumental activities of daily living rather than activities of daily living, things like going out, shopping, housework and advice on digital communications. These are often unsupported in the current care shortage.

Previous chapters presented a quantitative perspective; how many people are needed for tasks measured in hours. We need this to define the scale of the care deficit, but it is important not to obscure the qualitative perspective of care as a social activity and a relationship. This chapter first examines the qualitative and ethical basis for a vision of ‘widening the caring circle’, outlining the central values of solidarity – ‘relational care’, ‘politics of compassion’, the ‘commons of care’, mutual support and co-production – which form foundational concepts for engaging the community to address the care deficit.