CARE OF OLDER-PEOPLE .11. COMMUNITY CARE - THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR

The independent sector, which consists of the voluntary and private se ctors, is a vital element in supporting older people in the community. The voluntary sector, coordinated by the Council for Voluntary Servic e and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, provides a var iety of services, including practical help, reassurance and companions hip, and advice, information, campaigning, and advocacy. The private s ector owns all of the nursing homes and most of the residential homes and is gradually becoming more involved with the provision of services to help support older people in their own homes. With this increase i n size and importance of the independent sector over recent years, the re is now a real need for greater communication between the private, v oluntary, and statutory agencies in any one region. In some areas, for ums made up of representatives of these various sectors meet to discus s relevant issues and construct local policies, thus allowing a more c oordinated approach to the delivery of services.