Research has repeatedly shown that a large number of independently living oldest elderly are cared for by family members, friends or neighbours. This care is given either in combination with professional home care or without and it obviously reduces the financial burden for the state's health and social security system. Several authors suggest that, although very high levels of informal care are still present in Europe, this pattern will change in the near future. In view of monitoring the trends, we need sound and standardised procedures of measurement.
