Los vínculos que brindan mayor satisfacción en la red de apoyo social de los adultos mayores.

Social support networks are a subject of major interest in relation to elderly people. Their effect on allround wellbeing has been extensively shown and they have thus been included among the main objectives, strategies, plans and international recommendations directed towards the elderly population. This study aims to both identify and characterize the bonds of the social support network that provide the most satisfaction in this phase of life, and also to evaluate the support functions that these fulfil, according to the subject's living arrangements. A non-experimental, cross-sectional design was implemented for this descriptive-correlational study. A non-probability/intentional sample of 120 elderly people (aged from 60 to 85) was selected, of both sexes and from three types of living arrangements: living alone, living only with a partner, and living with other family members. A questionnaire of socio-demographic data and the Structured Interview of Social Support Sources (Vaux & Harrison, 1985) was applied to the sample. The results show the central role that children, the partner and friends play in old age. Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences in the bond that gave the most satisfaction according to gender and living arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]