This book was planned shortly before the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, a time of reappraisal in public perceptions of care. I had retired as Professor of Gerontology at the University of Bristol after almost 30 years of teaching and research, which coincided with the period covered in the book. During that time, unpaid care has featured in both my working and personal life and these reflections on policies are therefore also reflections on my career as an academic and on the development of my ideas about dependency and care. One of the most pleasurable aspects of writing the book has been reading and re-reading texts written by colleagues, co-researchers and coauthors and revisiting research projects that have stimulated different ways of looking at dependency and care. Equally pleasurable has been exploring the academic work of the remarkable individuals who I have advised or examined as postgraduate students, some of whom are cited in this text. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had such opportunities, which have enriched my understanding of policies, practices and theories of care.

My thanks are due to many people who have been supportive during the writing of the book. First and foremost, I thank Wenjing Zhang for her generosity with her time and expertise in preparing the bibliography. I also thank Randall Smith, Ailsa Cameron, Paul Willis and other colleagues at the School for Policy Studies in the University of Bristol, who have been hugely stimulating and supportive colleagues over the past 24 years. I also thank the G8 group of gerontology researchers, who have helped sharpen my ideas about practice, and have given great advice.

Many thanks are due to Laura Vickers-Rendall, Jay Allan, Julia Mortimer and others at Policy Press for their unstinting support and guidance. They are a terrific team to work with.

My friends and family members have shared their own experiences of caring and have given me valuable insights into the meaning of supportive relationships. Thanks to you all.

Ed Cape has supported me throughout the process of writing and the book is dedicated to him.