ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the association between the informal interpersonal environment of older people and their use of formal public assistance. The interpersonal environment is examined, in this case, by means of the con struct of social network. A network is the meaningful collection of per sonal ties that individuals of all ages maintain, and which may include one's relations with family members, friends, neighbors, and others who might be significant in some way (Fischer, 1982; Mitchell, 1969). The use of formal public aid that is addressed in this analysis is the utilization of pub licly funded home care assistance. Public assistance was chosen as the out come variable of interest insofar as it clearly contrasts with the informal nature of assistance that may be provided by the social network. The ques tion that is to be examined is whether there is a relationship between the kind of informal social network in which older people are embedded, and the use of formal support by them (Bass and Noelker, 1987; Bear, 1989; Logan and Spitze, 1994; Wan, 1987).
