Resistance to Isolation among Elderly Widows

Abstract

The widow's ability to resist isolation in old age-to either maintain the involvement of earlier years or develop new social networks-may be conditioned by a number of different factors. Drawing upon a survey of 409 widows, age sixty-five and older, from the Piedmont region of South Carolina, this study concludes that good health and the availability of economic resources are the primary factors which facilitate involvement with family, neighbors and friends, and participation in a number and variety of daily activities. In addition, those widows who were more educated participated in more activities; those living in small towns and rural areas were more involved with family and friends; and white widows saw more of their children, while black respondents were more active and knew more of their neighbors. Finally, the availability and degree of contact with children was unrelated to other activities, while friendship and neighboring was positively associated with taking walks, shopping, and attendance at religious services and other organizational meetings.