Abstract
The nature of formal and informal support is functionally differentiated in this article. While they are interrelated and actually interface at many junctures, each type of support functions most effectively in specific areas. Formal support operates within the context of bureaucratic structure, reflecting both its strengths and limitations. Formal organizations, however, could never hope to meet all of the instrumental, social and emotional needs of the individual. It is clearly supplemental to informal support. The mechanisms by which formal agencies supplement informal support deserve much greater attention in applied gerontological research. The interface between the two levels of support is where the most exciting applied research is likely to take place.
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