Care to older adults with chronic health problems or disabilities has two components: “care as doing” involves providing tasks and services to the older person; “care as being in relationship” involves changes in relationships and networks in the context of doing care. Family caregivers provide care because of a personal relationship with the cared-for person; care workers because of an agency–client relationship. Changing policy landscapes have signaled large-scale withdrawal of social programs. Families may be left with little choice but to step in as alternatives are removed. Care research is moving toward diverse methodologies to create deeper understandings of the experiences of caregivers and of the frail older adults for whom they care. Analyses of the interactions of family/friend, formal, and community networks are needed in order to achieve a more complete view of the contexts and sources of care.