1. What is a social support system, and what effect do gender and family
structure have on it?
A social support system refers to the network of relatives and friends who provide
emotional and instrumental support. Support systems create a convoy, which follows
people over the life course. Women have more extensive social support networks
than men and thus have more of the benefits they provide but also more of the
strains. Some older people lack a family support network, either because their
children have moved away or because they have no children or have never married.
Among the never married elderly, other kin often play the role typically reserved
for children. The increase in life expectancy over the past century has created
a beanpole family structure, expanding the potential social support system of
aging people to include four or even five generations. 2. How does marital satisfaction change over the life course?
Studies of marital satisfaction over the life course consistently show a decline
during the childrearing years. In part, the decline during the child-rearing
years is caused by role strain. As the children leave home, marital satisfaction
rises, peaking in the retirement years. The later-life satisfaction peak may
also be a function of divorce-that is, those who remain married are the survivors.
Still, the research is consistent enough to suggest that marriage is very satisfying
for most people in old age. 3. How do sibling relationships change in later life?
There is a life course pattern to sibling relationships. Many siblings feel
close as young children, then drift apart to attend to the needs of their own
families. As siblings grow older, they often become close once again. Siblings
mostly provide emotional support but some, especially sisters, also care for
each other in old age. 4. What factors influence parent-child relationships in later life
and what effect does divorce have on these relationships?
Relationships established earlier in life affect the quality of interaction
between parents and children in later life. Children who recall their childhood
in a positive way are more concerned about their aging parents than those who
perceived parental rejection. People who have been divorced have less contact
with their adult children and report less positive interaction than those who
remain married. Losing touch with children after a divorce is especially a problem
for men. 5. What factors influence the grandparent-grandchild relationship in
later life and what effect does divorce have on this relationship?
The relationship between parents and their children is often passed on to the
grandchildren. When parents and grandparents are close, the grandchildren see
their grandparents more often and feel closer to them. When parents divorce,
the grandparent-grandchild relationship is affected. The paternal grandparents
are most likely to lose contact with their grandchildren. Divorce does not necessarily
mean a severing of familial ties, however, for some parents remain close to
their former daughters-in-law. With the divorce and remarriage of parents, family
ties may multiply. 6. What kinds of social support do older gay men and women depend on?
Some gay men and women become alienated from their families if family members
disapprove of their lifestyles. They may plan for aging by creating a support
system of friends and significant others. However, many gay men and women play
special roles in their own families, as caretakers of aging parents. 7. Is friendship a good source of support in later life?
Friends form a special part of an individual's support network. Whereas family
relationships are dictated by obligations and responsibilities, friendships
are voluntary, pleasurable, and the primary source of companionship. |