Friendships in Late Adulthood

Relational Functions of Friendship and Well-Being

To understand why having friends is advantageous in later life, consider the functions that friendship fulfils. One of the main functions of friendship is the provision of pleasurable companionship; engaging in favorite activities and sharing stories and social rituals make being with friends especially stimulating and enjoyable. Older adults are happier in the company of friends than when they are alone or with family only, as are younger adults and adolescents. For older adults, spending time with friends helps them remain socially integrated when other roles and relationships have been lost. New friends as well as old friends may provide this kind of companionship.

Another function of friendship is the provision of support. When faced with challenging situations or transitions related to aging, friends listen to one another, show affection and concern, and offer useful information. Support from friends can be especially effective when they have been through the same transition themselves, by describing their own experience, giving advice, or suggesting alternative ways of understanding and dealing with the situation. Therefore, those facing retirement benefit from contact with friends who are already retired whereas widows and widowers seek the company of others who understand what it means to lose a partner. In the new situation, friends [Page 727]support one another with the task of reorganizing their lives, whether this is because of widowhood, retirement, or other changes. Friends even socialize one another to old age, by serving as examples and exchanging information on important transitions.

When family members fail to provide sufficient practical help or are unavailable during challenging situations, friends may step in to provide the necessary aid. Usually this help is offered on a short-term basis. Friends in need of such help may be wary of asking for it or even accepting help when it is offered because this disturbs the balance of reciprocity that is fundamental to friendship. However, some circumstances promote the exchange of practical help, such as the proximity of friends in the neighborhood or special practical skills or expertise that friends are willing to share.

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