A preponderance of the approximately one million men who care for spouses with cognitive impairment left market economy careers through normative or early retirement to enter the emotional economy of caregiving. In the process, their social networks changed radically as their work shifted from a visible and interactive world to one that was invisible and isolated. How do their social networks change? What role does social networking play in their lives as caregivers compared to their careers in the market economy? What can we learn from their accounts of social networking that will inform future research and practice? Material for this article is taken from a qualitative study of 30 elderly men caregivers that took place from 1998–2001 in Rochester, New York. From the study, three major themes emerged relative to changes in social networking: in retrospect, pre-retirement social networks were more important than previously thought, social networks for men caregivers are beneficial in lessening caregiver burden, and for many men social networking with other men proved to be of greatest benefit.
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