ABSTRACT
Historically, black churches have been seen as a viable source of support for providing informal services to African Americans, because of the advocacy and extended kin roles that they have played in African American communities. This chapter examines the relationship between church support, religious involvement, and psychological well-being among elderly African Americans. It presents a brief discussion of the role that black churches have played in the lives of older African Americans. The chapter provides a description of a study that examines how social support in churches complements and interacts with family support. It also examines older African Americans’ perceptions of support from their family and church as such perceptions relate to psychological well-being. The chapter highlights the power that perceptions of black churches have for generating feelings of well-being.
