Association of Social Support With Functional Outcomes in Older Adults Who Live Alone

Importance

Older adults who live alone are at risk for poor health outcomes. Whether social support mitigates the risk of living alone, particularly when facing a sudden change in health, has not been adequately reported.

Objective

To assess if identifiable support buffers the vulnerability of a health shock while living alone.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this longitudinal, prospective, nationally...