A growing number of older people live in a single household. They form a vulnerable group with regard to staying at home in case of care needs, especially towards the end of life. Informal care is mostly understood as family caregiving. Little regard has been paid to the contribution of non-kin-carers, such as friends and neighbors. The aim of this study was to delineate challenges and characteristics of different arrangements which support older people´s preferences for staying at home. In phase one of a longitudinal qualitative study, data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 28 older people who live alone (Ø 84.7 years) in four Austrian regions. Interviews were analyzed by applying a coding strategy based on the grounded theory approach. The results provide insight into a variety of support and caring networks and highlight the significance of informal support by friends and neighbors. Aspects to be considered are the kind of relationship, commitment, reciprocity, formal-informal interface as well as various motives for engagement. Further insight is expected from this longitudinal study, particularly with regard to increasing care needs towards the end of life.