Search
Program Calendar
Browse By Day
Browse By Time
Browse By Person
Browse By Session Type
Personal Schedule
Sign In
Deadlines
Policies
Updating Your Submission
Accessible Presentation
FAQs
Search Tips
About Annual Meeting
Objectives. Social support is key to overall health among older adults. How social support matters for long-term functional outcomes after major health shocks remains unclear. We address this research gap by asking if pre-surgery expectations of social support are consistent with received support from family and friends in the post-surgery period, and if expected social support predicts improved recovery after heart surgery.
Methods. The analysis was based on a sample of older adults from the Health and Retirement Survey (waves 1996-2014) (N=702). Receipt of social support was compared to expectations of social support using the Kappa statistic of agreement. Multivariable logistic models were fitted for short- and long-term functional status.
Results. Expectations of social support aligned poorly with actual support received after surgery. The persistence of pre-surgery ADL/IADL limitations explained a bivariate association between expecting future social support and having lower odds of post-surgery functional limitations.
Discussion. The present study contributes to the literature by showing that older adults might overestimate the social support they could receive for their ADL/IADL limitations after heart surgeries, especially 2-4 years later. The findings call for greater medical and political efforts in facilitating long-term care for older adults obtaining post-surgery help for ADLs/IADLs.