Non-institutionalised aged in Sydney, 1981

This study was designed to test hypotheses and develop population estimates regarding the social integration and social support of non-institutionalised people aged 60 and over living in Sydney. The core of the questionnaire aimed to identify the individuals who were important to respondents in terms of exchanges of instrumental assistance, emotional closeness, social interaction, and family structure: characteristics of these other persons were also recorded. Other variables included basic demographic and personal characteristics; various objective and subjective measures of functional health and illness; responsibility for household tasks; use of health and social services; knowledge of services: attitudes toward dependency and family relationships; use of time; housing and living arrangements; transport; retirement and income; life satisfaction; political views; and care of parents. Questions measured early life experiences, recent changes and current circumstances. Background variables include age; sex; marital status; bithplace; years of schooling; opccupation of self and spouse; religious affiliation; home ownership; and income level.