The informal support networks of African American elders have an important impact on the effectiveness of social service interventions. The author identifies and discusses critical functions performed by second-and third-generation adult kin (niece, nephew, and grandchild) in the care and support of low-income African American elderly. Complementary functional roles and tasks performed by grandchildren, nieces, or nephews assist the elderly as well as the primary caregiver in interacting with the formal service system. Practitioners need to be knowledgeable about and sensitive to the complexities of kin support networks of African American elderly.

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The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act reduced early retirements benefits and increased the retirement age for future retirees. These changes will differentially affect various segments of the older population. The author examines implications of these changes for older blacks, and concludes that disability and low income are primary factors that put older blacks at risk for negative consequences as a result of the 1983 amendments. The findings suggest that blacks are likely to be disproportionately affected by the changes, and that the changes, as they relate to blacks, do not address the amendments' goals encouraging private savings and discouraging early retirement.

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