The social life of older rural Americans is made up of
relationships formed through kinship, their neighborhoods, and the
organizations to which they belong. These social institutions are
shaped by the ways people use them, and therefore change through
time. In this precedent-setting study, John van Willigen uses the
concept of social network to investigate life-course changes in the
relationships of older people within the context of community
history.
Gettin' Some Age on Me grew out of a study of more than 130
older people in a rural Kentucky county. They were interviewed
concerning their relationships with others, and data were collected
on the give and take of support that is part of their social life.
An understanding of community life and history, developed through
interviews and period documentation, provided a context for
understanding the changes these people have experienced over time.
Finally, related studies by other researchers provided a framework
for interpreting rural and urban differences.
Van Willigen skillfully interweaves these various accounts to
reveal fundamentally important patterns. It is clear that these
other people should be viewed not as dependent and isolated but as
important sources for social support; that even though their social
relationships decline in number late in life, early in the post
retirement period there is an apparent increase in social
involvement; and that older people are much less isolated in the
rural community studied than in many urban areas.
This book makes a substantial contribution to the very limited
literature on aging in rural America. It is important reading for
social gerontologists and for all social scientists with an
interest in American communities.
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