The Quest for Adequate Support in Later Life Each of these women is surviving and many of them are thriving, as they grow old in this dynamic, challenging, rural environment. As we see in this chapter, my respondents face an ongoing struggle for their independence and dignity fought within the context of their social networks and a lifetime of social exchanges. In some ways their entire lives hav~ been a prelude to this challenge. As they strive to live out their later years according to the lifelong patterns they have established, it is often difficult for them to get the support and assistance they need; their lives and members of their social support system do not always meet their expectations. The difficulty stems from a combination of factors, including the increased mobility and depopulation of rural communities and economic problems, as well as the need to ask for help in an environment where independence is a strong priority. Although critical, for this range of reasons it is often very difficult for these elders to receive the increasing support and assistance they need from their family and others within their social network. At the same time, they are not comfortable turning to the formal system of programs and services, which they fear will erode their independence. In the following discussion, we are concerned with the full range of emotional and instrumental support and assistance that these rural older women receive and provide. Instrumental support refers to assistance with material tasks or meeting physical needs. Emotional support refers to love, companionship or understanding. Both, of course, are essential and are not necessarily derived from the same relationships.