Caring for someone at home is good, but who wants to be cared for at home, asks Michael Fine.

Some recent experiences with older family members have reminded me of the attitudes that many older people continue to have towards the services we proudly like to call aged and community care. Those of us who work in the community care field are proud of what we do and happy to help those who need it. We know the benefits that appropriate support provided to people in their own home can bring. But in contrast to the popular view, many of the supposed beneficiaries try hard to avoid relying on support provided by strangers altogether, for as long as possible. They are not trying to milk the...