The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between conjugal support, family coping behaviours and the well-being of the elderly couple. A multistage sample of 135 couples, 65 years and over, was drawn from users of the health and social system, as well as from non-service users, in a large metropolitan area. Data were collected through home visits. A series of questionnaires to measure conjugal support, family coping behaviours, three indicators of well-being (self-assessed health, life satisfaction and marital satisfaction), and selected control variables were presented in interview format separately to each marital partner by two interviewers. Data analysis was performed on individual and couple data. Results revealed significant positive correlations between availability and reciprocity of conjugal support and well-being of both marital partners and a negative association between conflict within the conjugal relationship and well-being of husbands and wives. Only two cognitive family coping strategies, reframing and avoidance of passive appraisal, were positively related to the well-being of both partners. External family coping strategies related to seeking help outside the elderly dyad were not associated with well-being. Paired t-tests revealed that husbands tended to perceive more support from their spouse and to be more satisfied with their marital life than wives. Wives more than husbands perceived the couple to use more external social support and spiritual support. Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that congruency of perception between husbands and wives had an effect on the well-being of the wives only. A path model in which conjugal support has direct and indirect effects on well-being through cognitive family coping strategies is proposed.