Sociodemographic Correlates of Social Network Age Integration Status in Late Life

Increased longevity allows older adults to have younger close social ties, suggesting age integration. However, prior research excludes same-aged peers from age integration definitions. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study, we characterize 3,642 participants' social networks as peer-only (54%), intergenerational-only (21%), or age-integrated (25%) for those with both peer and intergenerational connections. Findings suggest complexity in older adults' social network age distributions. Relative to peer-only networks, intergenerational-only networks were more likely among Hispanic, other-raced, non-partnered and more educated individuals and less likely among individuals with ADL assistance; age-integrated networks were more likely with age and among women.