Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
The past decade has seen the emergence of con-siderable research validating the role of family and other informal supports in the care of frail and chron-ically ill elderly. Contrary to prevailing stereotypes, the informal support system provides more assis-tance than do formal organizations, and without the care given by informal support networks many more elderly would probably be forced to leave their
Marjorie H. Cantor (1983) studied this question.