Boom in private rest homes in Southampton: impact on the elderly in residential care

A survey in 1986 of 450 elderly people in 51 private rest homes and 206 residents of seven local authority (part III) homes in the Southampton area showed no significant difference in overall dependency between the two populations. Although age and sex distributions of the residents of part III homes had remained the same between 1982 and 1986, the average level of dependency had fallen significantly. Since the provision of places increased because of expansion in the private sector residential care institutions are generally catering for a more independent population.