Friendship across the life cycle: A support group for older women

Using a group work model, this article discusses a short term group fur old er women developed to explore the importance of friendship in late life. In collaboration with group leaders, group members determined weekly topics t hat explored the significance of friendship through the life cycle. Social work group practice that focuses on the meaning and development of friendsh ip for and with older women is presented as an effective therapeutic interv ention for practitioners in settings such as community mental health clinic s, senior centers, elderly housing, home care agencies and nursing homes.