OLDER RURAL WOMEN AS RECIPIENTS AND PROVIDERS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT

The literature on serving the rural elderly has focused on rural elders primarily as passive recipients of care. This article views rural older women as active manipulators of the social support system within which they meet their perceived needs and the needs of others in their social network. It is based on the findings of a multi-phase qualitative study of 30 older women in central Minnesota. Data were collected through life history interviews, in-depth structured interviews, observation and network analysis profiles. The informants' relationships with family, friends, neighbors and formal service providers are discussed. Implications for formal service delivery to rural elders are explored.