The composition of the social networks among the elderly has changed significantly during the transition period, with researchers noticing that these networks are shrinking. In my work, I focused on the role of social network in general, and specifically on the use of formal assistance to older people. I was interested in the role that social support networks play in the lives of older people, identifying who or what encourages the use of formal support networks. The first part of the work includes a theoretical definition of the main concepts related to social support and methods for measuring it. It is important to understand the difference between older people living in an urban environment and those in rural settings. In the work, I discuss various forms of assistance to elderly people in Slovenia, including resolutions and proposals that are currently under discussion or have already been adopted. The empirical part presents an analysis of the role of social networks among older people, based on 18 in-depth interviews in the municipality of Puconci. The focus was on determining who encourages the use, or in what way the elderly decide to use (in)formal sources of help. This is important for understanding the needs and reasons for (not) accepting formal assistance offered by various institutions to older people.
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