| Abstract: | Objectives: To examine the inter‐relationships between formal and informal unpaid services in an elderly population. Methods: 537 community‐dwelling elderly (75 or older) were interviewed about use of community and medical services and the provision of unpaid support. Disease and disability were assessed by medical practitioners. The relationship between service use and unpaid support among persons with the same disease/disability profile was examined. Results: Unpaid network support for instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) needs was utilised when community services were not. Unpaid ADL and IADL network support is used in conjunction with medical services. Higher socioeconomic status, female gender and having fewer coresidents predicted higher use of community services. Males spent more days in hospital. Conclusions: Community IADL services and unpaid IADL network support work in a compensatory fashion. In contrast, higher users of medical services were greater users of unpaid network support. |
