This study explores different home care patterns and their diverse social support preferences in the context of weakening family care functions. A mixed -method research design was used. In the first stage， grounded theory was applied to conduct semi -structured interviews with 25 caregivers. By combining the three stages of grounded theory coding，this study identifies 20 sub-categories and 12 main categories，constructing a theoretical framework of differentiated social support across three care stages. In the second stage，a discrete choice experiment survey was conducted among 331 families with functionally disabled older adults in the eastern，central and western regions of China. Results reveal three types of home care: intensive care for severe disability，intermediate care for mild disability，and inadequate care for disability. Overall preferences for social support were ranked as medical，instrumental，emotional，organizational，and informational support. This study expands the family life cycle theory and social support theory and proposes differentiated social support measures for different types of home care，such as supplementary educational support，partial and full support.