Caregiving networks of elderly persons: Variation by marital status

Using data from the 1982 National Long-Term Care Survey, this study examines the relationship between marital status and two dimensions of caregiving networks, size and composition. Results indicate that widowed and never married people have helping networks that are larger than those of married people. Diversity across marital statuses in sources of assistance is revealed in analyses of two measures of caregiving network composition: (a) having more kin than nonkin helpers and (b) presence of specific helpers (adult children, siblings, friends, and formal helpers). Moreover, gender interacts with marital status to influence the composition of caregiving networks.