There are emerging signs that the serious shortage in care assistants is abating, as statistics show the field's job offers-to-seekers ratio fell from 2.53 in December to 1.28 in June.
People who have experience as care assistants but have worked in other fields are beginning to return amid the tough employment situation.
But the long-standing problem of low wages for hard physical work, which includes night shifts and assisting people with bathing and going to the toilet, continues.