The Urban Church: A Healing Community for the Older Person

ABSTRACT

Significant relationships between social networks and the well-being of older persons living in cities have been reported. This paper focuses on an attempt to strengthen the social networks of at-risk older persons through linking them with church-based volunteers who provide a wide range of support services. It is argued that the success of these linkages are explained by the costs and rewards involved in the relationship, or exchange, the volunteer's perception of the distribution of resources, and the social distance separating the two. Implications for social policy and church-based ministry with older persons are discussed.