 Non-continuous adult care can be divided into episodes of care and the type of care received: practical, personal, and both practical and personal. Personal care includes help with dressing, bathing and preparing meals, while practical help includes assisting into and out of bed, and help with paper work or shopping. As the episodes of care become less frequent, the proportion of adults receiving both practical and personal types of care declines. 80 per cent of adults receiving care several times a day receive help with personal and practical help, compared with 13 per cent of adults receiving care once a week. At the same time, the proportion of adults receiving only practical help increases: 9 per cent of adults receiving care several times a day receive help with only practical tasks, compared with 80 per cent of adults receiving care once a week. Between 1995 and 2000, the proportion of people receiving help with both types of task has risen, most noticeably for adults receiving help once or twice a week. |