Few Australian studies have examined the social interaction of older people once they have entered nursing homes. Much of the existing literature reports the frequency of contacts that the elderly in nursing homes have with family and friends rather than explaining the factors that influence which people are more likely to visit regularly and why. This paper examines the interrelationship between frequency of visits and the charac teristics of aged residents, visitors and nursing homes, and the processes which explain these levels of interaction. A question naire was administered to aged residents in nursing homes and data was collected on the resident's network members, fre quency of contact and perceptions of the influence of placement in a nursing home on relationships. The results show that (1) the resident's perceived quality of the relationship and the location of the nursing home are important factors determining frequency of visiting, and (2) the placement in a nursing home does not necessarily weaken family ties.
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