ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that good care in an institutional context has three central foci: the purpose of care, recognition of power relations, and the need for pluralistic, particular tailoring of care to meet individuals’ needs. It describes the assumptions of those who are skeptical about institutional care as an alternative to family care. The chapter explores some dimensions of family care that are usually left in the background. It also argues that make certain assumptions about the purposes of care, about meeting the particular needs of individuals, and about the internal allocation of power. In formal care institutions, however, there may well be conflicting approaches to purpose, particularity, and power arrangements. There is a great danger in thinking of care as a commodity, as purchased services, rather than as a process. Many care-giving institutions split hands-on care giving from higher ‘management’ functions.
