In an editorial in the Guardian, David Burbage looks at how the Big Society idea has changed the way Windsor and Maidenhead, chosen as a big society vanguard in 2010, has changed their approach to social care:

Our lead member for adult and social care was very keen to build on the strengths he saw in his local communities: people helping each other out. He could also see a gap for people who might not be eligible for social care, but who were living on their own and needed a system to put them in contact with local people to reduce social isolation and depression in old age. There was also an interest in new ways to motivate people to assist each other and our local older people’s forum was interested in how new technologies could help people contact each other.

Through looking at other models of care for older people, noting the extended family pattern commonplace in some communities, the most relevant was the Japanese system of Fureai kippu, whereby individuals living far away from relatives who needed social care support could support an elderly person nearby.

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