A variety of meanings is attached to the concept 'community care' and, as an ideology, it may function as a legitimation for very different social policies. In this article the different functions of this ideology in old age policy are discussed, and it is argued that elucidation of the conditions and con sequences of the different measures to strengthen community care is impor tant both for social policy and as a feminist question It is further argued that important assumptions in old age policy in the last decades in Scandinavia are based on myths rather than realities as to the elderly's situation, and on an outdated understanding of women's roles in society.