A part of the SAFE-LEAD program to promote safety culture in Norwegian nursing homes and home care services, this paper describes perceived challenges by managers and employees in nursing home and home care services prior to intervention implementation. Focus groups with managers and employees reported several challenges, including: lack of care continuity; difficulties balancing budgetary and care needs; lack of communication between care systems and tools (such as different EHR systems that do not communicate), and; inadequate time leading to different error reporting cultures.