Loss of social support is strongly associated with health. Changing in frequency and quality of social support structure occurs in the elderly especially much more than who lived in nursing homes than other goups. The aim of this study was to compare and examine the relationship of perceived social support and satisfaction with life in geriatric Turkish people who lived in nursing homes.

The study was carried out in all nursing homes of Manisa city and the surrounding towns (n=130). Data were collected by interviewing with the subjects and by using "Socio-Demographic Information Form", "The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)" and " The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).

The mean age of the subjects included was 73.6±8.6 (43-93), and the mean score of MSPSS was 44.7±1.7 (12-82). The mean score of SWLS was 23.1±6.3 (6-35). The perceived social support of the subjects in the nursing homes was determined to be significantly higher in subjects with a higher tahn in subjects with lower incomes. Similarly, it was increased in subjects who were married and female (p<0.05). A positive correlation was found between the The Satisfaction With Life Scale and perceived level of social support (r=0.312)..

Our results suggest that in order to increase the level of social support and life satisfaction status of elderly people living in nursing homes, there is need for arrangements to increase social support especially with the increase of institutional support and increase of support of friends.