Informal care from family and friends, which is a special type of social support, was identified in the 1992
monograph as a major gerontological interest, including care provided by spouses, children, other family
members, and non-kin. Caregiving was conceptualized as a kind of social support "provided to seniors because
their health has deteriorated and they can no longer function independently in areas where they previously
didâ[euro] (Chappell, 1992: p. 31). This contrasts with a broader use of the term social support as, for example,
including all resources provided by other persons (Cohen &Syme, 1985) and encompassing help with emotional
and informational needs as well as tangible support such as assistance with ADLs.