ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a brief summary of the demography of ethnic diversity of older population in Britain. It then focuses upon elders from the Pakistani and Bangladeshi community, who demonstrate the highest levels of long-term illness and considers their expectations of their family in responding to care needs in old age using data from the project 'Families and Caring in South Asian Communities'. Ethnic minority elders in Britain experience significant levels of deprivation and, in particular, high levels of physical and mental health problems. Most care for older people in Britain with long-term conditions and disabilities, regardless of ethnicity, is provided by their family, friends or neighbours. Within the general population of older people, intra-generational care is almost exclusively provided by spouses rather than by siblings or friends. Muslim societies in general and families are stereotypically presented as gerontocractic in nature.
