THE DIFFERENTIAL AVAILABILITY OF RELATIONSHIPS AND THE PROVISION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF SUPPORT TO OLDER ADULTS

Does information on the types of relationships composing older adults' networks provide an indication of the amount and effectiveness of net work support? This question was addressed using data from a representa tive sample from the Netherlands of 160 non-institutionalized older ad ults between the ages of 65 and 75. Results showed first that differen t types of relationships differed in their supportiveness. These diffe rences were linked with the degree of consanguinity of kin and the deg ree of friendship of non-kin. Second, consistent with a mechanism of c ompensation, the supportiveness of particular types of relationships d epended upon the network in which they were embedded, namely upon the availability of an alternative source of support. For example, adult c hildren were more supportive to parents who no longer had a partner th an to parents who were still together. Third, the effectiveness of sup port in providing protection against loneliness varied according to th e availability of a partner. Among the cohabiting, support from friend s and adult children was unrelated to loneliness. Furthermore, support from the network, instrumental support in particular was less closely associated with loneliness among the cohabiting than among the never married and the formerly married.