PART ONE: SPECIFIC FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS An Overview of Family Relationships in Later Life - Timothy H Brubaker Aging Couples and the Family System - Janie K Long and Jay A Mancini Sexuality and Marital Quality Among Older Married Couples - Linda Ade-Ridder The Adult Child and Older Parents - Robert A Lewis Sibling Interaction in Later Life - Jean Pearson Scott Grandparent and Grandchild Relationships - Karen Roberto PART TWO: ISSUES RELATED TO LATER LIFE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Sex Roles in the Older Family - Pat M Keith and Robbyn R Wacker Widowhood - Gloria D Heinemann and Patricia L Evans Loss, Change, and Adaptation The Unmarried Elderly - Charles M Barresi and Kimberly Hunt Age, Sex, and Ethnicity Elder Abuse - Suzanne K Steinmetz Myth and Reality Family Support in Relation to Health Problems of the Elderly - Victor G Circirelli Variations Among the Elderly in Black, Hispanic, and White Families - Percil Sanford, K Michael Peddecord and Shirley A Lockery PART THREE: PRACTICE AND POLICY ISSUES Toward Understanding Health in Older Families Impacted by Catastrophic Illness - Joseph Kuypers and Vern L Bengtson Stress Perceived by Elderly Recipients of Family Care - Ellie Brubaker, Mary Anne Gorman and Michele Hiestand