This study addresses quality of life as a subjective and individualized concept which is not adequately captured by those quantitative methods that dominate gerontological research. It focuses on an under- researched sub-group of older people and the ways in which quality of life is related to social and cultural variations in family care. Four older Chinese women and one older couple were recruited to participate in in-depth life history interviews. The interviews were conducted in Cantonese, recorded, translated and transcribed in full. The data were analysed in two ways. Content...