This article presents the results of a qualitative study on the contributions made by volunteers from a volunteer community organization to the home care of older adults living in a rural setting. In this study, the volunteer was considered as part of a social care system made up of a number of groups (the elderly themselves, those close to them, professional health providers, and volunteers). Results show that the lines delimiting the responsibilities of these various groups are neither clear nor precise. The place of the volunteer must take into account the nature of the participation of the other groups. How far the services offered by volunteers are used depends upon the characteristics that define their contributions and on the type of relationship they develop with a given older adult.
