The Dynamics of Helping Behavior in Congregate Housing

Informal neighborly assistance among tenants in a congregate housing facility was examined to identify the types of helping behavior which occurred among tenants. In-depth, open-ended interview with 24 tenants revealed 4 patterns of assistance: High helpers, Activity helpers, Reciprocal helpers, and Nonhelpers. The implications of these different helping types for working with the residents in congregate housing are discussed.