Elderly people and their carers are not homogeneous groups, but are highly diverse in terms of their age, ethnicity, income, housing, education, geographical location and access to providers of health. In planning provision, particularly respite care, we need to focus attention on the needs and preferences of those who are not currently receiving help, as well as on the satisfaction with existing services of those who are. There been evidence for some years, for instance, that those in rural areas have different needs from those in urban areas.