This paper starts by giving some brief information about the institutional care system for the elderly in Poland. The supportive network for old people is identified as being firmly based on that of the family. Social services are particularly directed to those without children and close relatives. There are many economic and socio-cultural reasons for raising the importance of institutional help - e.g. the growth of female professional activity, migration processes, the disintegration of the multi-generational family. The family contacts with old persons staying in hospitals and in nursing homes are described and the attitudes of the elderly towards institutional care are discussed in this paper. Presently old people expect financial help mainly from the state but care and help in everyday contingencies from their family (e.g. in case of illness, only 2% of old people would like to be cared for by nurses). This paper also shows some reasons for differentiating the attitudes and generational expectations. The family responsibility for elderly people reflects on the one hand the attitudes and systems of values of both the generations and shortage of institutional services on the other. Examples relating to some of the issues discussed are given in this paper.