Family and Social Networks and Quality of Life Among Community-Dwelling Older-Adults in Spain

Abstract

Family and social networks are changing at all ages, becoming more fragile and less dense, and contact is getting less in-person. However, these networks are one of the most important dimensions of domain-specific quality of life among older-adults. This chapter deals with the networks and associated factors analysis. Data come from the Ageing in Spain Longitudinal Study, Pilot Survey (ELES-PS), representative of people aged 50 years old or more in community dwelling. Information about network size and structure and satisfaction with relationships was used. Univariate and bivariate statistical techniques were applied. The results showed the role that family and friends play in older-adult networks. The family network proved to be broader than the social network, which decreased with age due to health and functioning decline. Not in-person contact outweighed in-person contact with children and parents, and a strong in-person relationship with grandchildren remained. The survey pointed to the residential independence of older-adults from their family network, and the further relatives lived from older-adults’ home, the more contact was kept by phone, letter or other not in-person forms. Contacts in-person prevailed with friends and neighbours. Satisfaction with relationships was very high, especially the contact with first degree relatives.