An Exploration of Family Interaction with the Elderly by Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Residence

This paper questions whether elderly blacks are at the center of an extended family network. A Harris sample of 334 elderly blacks and 1,813 whites indicates that (1) white elderly see children and grandchildren more frequently than blacks, (2) blacks are more likely to receive help from children and grandchildren and take children into their homes to live, and (3) giving help to children and grandchildren is influenced more by socioeconomic status than race. The findings provide limited support for an extended family hypothesis of black aging.