GENDER AND SOCIAL NETWORK SUPPORT IN LATER LIFE

GENDER AND SOCIAL NETWORK SUPPORT IN LATER LIFE  Gender and social network support in later life The absence of good social ties with other people has been discovered to be an important risk factor in psychological wellbeing, sickness and even death.
Introduction
This paper aims at critically discussing gender and social network support in later life. Studies have proved that women form about 58% of individuals who have attained the age of 65 years and above. This percentage increases to 68% when the same studies were carried out amongst individual with the age of 85 years and above.

The marital status has an impact on the economic and emotional situations of elderly people. However, women in old age are more affected emotionally by their marital status than men.

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This might lead to an increase in the need for social networks such as the internet to maintain the emotional connection. Someone’s well being in old age might also be affected by their educational standards (Walker 2000, P. 143).

Higher educational attainment might lead to higher social confidence that might influence how older people interact with people in social networks.

There are researches that suggest that the social support exchange patterns differ with gender especially in older age. Social emotional supports such as vocal support, advice, and encouragement are very common within the social network settings.

The researchers also prove that women are more likely to seek this kind of emotional support as compared to men (Formosa & Higgs 2013, P. 301).

This even explains the big difference between elderly men and women who are fond of social networks. …………