A longitudinal study of changes and adaptation in the support networks of Welsh elderly over 75

Abstract

Despite conventional wisdom that urbanization has worsened the lot of the elderly and that rural or traditional societies are, therefore, more benign environments for the very old, data from a wide cross-section of developed and developing societies suggest that more similarity than difference exists. The evidence is that most old people in all societies rely on and receive comparable levels of support from their family, friends and neighbors. Less, however, is known about the process of social support over time. This paper reports the results of a longitudinal study of the support networks of the old elderly (75+), looking at changes over four years in a sample of 100 old people, 30 of whom were followed in-depth for 6 years. The findings demonstrate a high level of stability in network size, radius and close kin membership. Membership of distant kin, neighbors and friends is found to be more fluid. Within the network, considerable task flexibility was observed with the qualification that intimate physical care fell exclusively in the family domain. In this case, support networks appear to adjust to meet increasing need for support.