COHORT-DIFFERENCES IN AGE-RELATED TRAJECTORIES IN NETWORK SIZE IN OLD AGE: ARE NETWORKS EXPANDING?

Contemporary societal views on old age raise the question whether patterns of stability or decline in network size apply to later birth cohorts of older adults. Change score models are estimated to determine cohort differences in age-related trajectories in network size. Cohorts 1928–37 and 1938–47, 55–64 at baseline in 1992 and 2002 of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam are followed over a time span of 9 years. Age-related trajectories in network size differ between the early and late birth cohort. The late birth cohort makes large gains in network size around retirement age, but this increase does not hold over time. The cohort difference prevails after adjusting for increases in educational level and social roles. The peak level in the network size in the late birth cohort hints at stronger preference and more opportunities to gain and maintain social relationships around retirement age.