ABSTRACT
The care received by thes African American elders (Eloise Little, Ruby Washington, Viola Worth, Reverend Joseph Scott, Lucy Oliver, Geraldine Starr, and Sally Finch) from friends and neighbors reflects the normative, more limited role generally found in other research. This chapter explores some of the additional elements that influence both the successes and failures of these elders in getting and keeping the help of family and friends. It describes each participant’s informal caregiving network. Among these participants the availability of informal helpers and the assistance they provide varies greatly. Despite the level of informal care received, each person has needs that are not met by available informal support. These residual needs range from maximum, for Eloise Little, to the minimal needs of Sally Finch and Ruby Washington. Needs for additional help run the gamut from periodic assistance to make life a little better and a little easier to extensive care that provides basic subsistence.
