The search for significance: meaning making in elderly South Africans following the emigration of their adult children

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-479
Author(s):  
Vinitha Jithoo ◽  
Maria Marchetti-Mercer ◽  
Leslie Swartz
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ambiguous Loss ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Elderly Parents ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
International Boundaries ◽  
The Impact

Globalization and the mobility of people across domestic and international boundaries have become part of the rhythm and tempo of the modern world, and increasingly the elderly remaining behind comprise a sizable and integral part of contemporary society. Their successful adaptation has become an important consideration not only for them, but for their families and society. This article explores the coping strategies used in finding coherence when confronting this disruptive life event. As part of a larger study exploring the impact of South African emigration on the elderly, we interviewed 25 elderly parents of skilled emigrants. Using thematic analysis, we show how these parents coped with ambiguous loss of emigration, making use of technology and alternative configurations of identity and care to conceptualize their lives and current contexts. More research is needed to understand migration and aging, an issue likely to become more prominent.

The Relevance of Personal Domain Satisfaction for the Quality of Life in South Africa

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Møller
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Personal Domain ◽  
The Impact

South African psychologists have identified the improvement of quality of life as a major goal of the 1980s. This paper reviews the impact of satisfaction with personal aspects of life on perceived well-being. The results of an exploratory study of South African quality of life conducted among 5 587 individuals of all population groups are discussed. Findings confirm the salience of the personal domain and the positive influence of personal satisfactions on subjective well-being. However, results of regression analyses suggest that the relative contribution of satisfactions in the personal domain is too low to play a major role in improving the quality of life of all South Africans in the longer term.

scholarly journals Does money empower the elderly? Evidence from the Agincourt demographic surveillance site, South Africa1

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (69_suppl) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Case ◽  
Alicia Menendez
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Old Age ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Social Pension ◽  
Alternative Means ◽  
Health And Development ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Socioeconomic Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

Aims: To quantify the impact of the South African old age (social) pension on outcomes for pensioners and the prime-aged adults and children who live with them, and to examine alternative means by which pensions affect household outcomes. Methods: We collected socioeconomic data on 290 households in the Agincourt demographic surveillance area (DSA), stratifying our sample on the presence of a household member age-eligible for the old-age pension (women aged 60 and older, men aged 65 and older). Results: The presence of a pensioner significantly reduces household reports that adults and, separately, children missed meals because there was not enough money for food. In addition, girls are significantly more likely to be enrolled in school if they are living with a pensioner, an effect that is driven entirely by living with a female pensioner. Our results are consistent with a model in which pensioners have a greater say in household functioning once they begin to receive their pensions. Conclusions: We find a program targeted toward the elderly plays a significant role in children's health and development.

scholarly journals Helping South Africans achieve a better income in retirement: a critical evaluation of the impact of treasury proposals

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-202
Author(s):  
Jesse A. De Beer
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Financial Regulation ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Partial Solution ◽  
Retirement Income ◽  
Policy Proposal ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Retirement income security is an issue relevant to the majority of South Africans, many of whom are financially inexperienced and illiterate. South Africa has a sophisticated retirement industry offering a very wide range of choice of annuity products, but these are often not designed to optimise choices by rather unsophisticated investors. This article provides an overview of issues in the South African income withdrawal market, as well as policy remedies proposed by National Treasury to deal with these issues. The aim of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of these policy proposals, using a behaviourally informed framework to financial regulation (Barr, Mullainathan & Shafir, 2008). It recognises that policy remedies need to take into account the realities of how people make retirement income decisions, and how the institutional environment impacts on this. The results of the research suggest that the main policy proposal – simplifying the retirement income withdrawal landscape through the use of default options – is only a partial solution to the problem of unsophisticated consumers who must make several challenging decisions. The research contributes to the literature by providing a more complete, integrated view of the factors that shape retirement income withdrawal decisions and offers practitioners several insights into appropriate reform of the retirement income market.

scholarly journals Gender Imbalance, Marriage Squeeze and Multiple Biological Clocks: Exploring the Challenges to Intergenerational Contract in North India

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-111
Author(s):  
Paro Mishra ◽  
Ravinder Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Biological Clock ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
North India ◽  
Biological Clocks ◽  
Marriage Squeeze ◽  
Gender Imbalance ◽  
Elderly Parents ◽  
Family Household ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Intergenerational Contract

This paper maps the impact of gender imbalance on intergenerational relations in north India. It uses the idea of multiple biological clocks to understand the impact that gender imbalance and male marriage squeeze have on two categories of persons: “overage” unmarried sons and their aging parents, and the inter-generational contract between them within the family-household. De-linking the idea of the biological clock from the female body, this paper demonstrates that social understandings of bodily progression are equally significant for men, who, in the Indian context, need to marry by a certain age, and their elderly parents who need to be cared for. In north India, where family-household unit is the most important welfare and security institution for the elderly, disruptions to household formation due to bride shortage caused by sex ratio imbalance, is subjecting families to severe stress. Families with unmarried sons struggle with anxieties centred on the inability to arrange marriages for aging sons, questions of allocation of household labor, the continuation of family line, and lack of care for the elderly. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in north India, this paper explores the tensions and negotiations between elderly parents and unmarried sons concerning the fulfillment (or lack of it) of the intergenerational contract against the backdrop of gender imbalance. It concludes by discussing the various strategies available to families in crisis that involve shame-faced adoption of domestic and care tasks by unmarried sons or bringing cross-region brides who then provide productive, reproductive, and care labour.

Do migrants lives matter? A comparison of causes of death between African migrants from SADC countries and South Africans in the post-Apartheid era (2002-2015)

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-468
Author(s):  
Lorena Núñez Carrasco ◽  
Abha Jaiswal ◽  
Jairo Arrow ◽  
Michel Kasongo Muteba ◽  
Bidhan Aryal
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
South African ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South Africans ◽  
African Migrants ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Migrants historically and currently form an integral part of South Africa. Their importance and contribution to the country’s economy and development are undeniable. Yet, life for African migrants in South Africa is becoming increasingly difficult. An analysis of migrants mortality until now has not been conducted. The purpose of this paper is to compare the trends of the cause of death among South African Citizens (RSA) and African migrants from countries that form part of the South African Development Community (SADC), that make up nearly 70% of the migrants in the country. Design/methodology/approach Using Stats SA data of all registered deaths in South Africa (2002-2015), this paper compares all causes of death (COD) between RSA and SADC migrants. This paper studies the patterns in COD among these population groups for the years 2002 to 2015 in deaths due to infectious diseases and unnatural causes. Logistic regression was used to quantify the odds of dying due to infectious disease and unnatural causes for each population group. This paper included a calculation of the odds of dying due to assault, as a sub-group within unnatural deaths. Findings A total of 7,611,129 deaths were recorded for the local South African population and 88,114 for SADC migrants for the period under study (2002–2015). The burden of mortality for both infectious diseases and unnatural causes was higher for SADC migrants as compared to RSA. SADC migrants were 1.22 times more likely to die from infectious diseases than RSA (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.12, 1.23). Similarly, SADC migrants were 2.7 times more likely to die from unnatural causes than South Africans (P < 0.001, 95% CI (2.17, 2.23). The odds of dying from assault was the same as that of unnatural causes. Also, it was found that women were more likely to die from infectious diseases (OR = 1.11, P < 0.001, 95% CI (1.11, 1.11) compared to men, regardless of nationality. Research limitations/implications The bias resulting from migrants who return home to die due to illness, described in the literature as the salmon bias, is present in this paper. This paper, therefore, concludes death due to infectious diseases could be higher among migrants. Practical implications The heightened mortality among SADC migrants can be related to the impact of social determinants of health such as living and working conditions and barriers to access to health care. Moreover, the higher probability of death due to unnatural causes such as assaults constitute a proxy to estimate the impact of xenophobic violence observed in the country over the past decade. Policy interventions should focus on migrant health-care systems. Also, programmes to mitigate and curb xenophobic sentiments should be carried out to address the growing disparity of preventable unnatural causes of death. Originality/value This study offers the first quantification of mortality due to infectious diseases and unnatural causes among RSA and SADC migrants.

Intergenerational Dimensions of Transnational Chinese Migrant Families in New Zealand — A Research Gap Identified (新西兰跨国华人移民家庭的代际维度研究)

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liangni Sally Liu (刘良妮)
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Policy Change ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Transnational Migration ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Elderly Parents ◽  
Migrant Families ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Impact

With the accelerating trend toward transnational families in many parts of the world associated with globalization, coping with the demand for family reunification has become a major challenge for both migrant families and migrant-sending and -receiving societies. In July 2012, a significant policy change regarding the Family Sponsorship Stream (Parent Category) took place in New Zealand, which raised the bar for migrants’ elderly parents on entering New Zealand as permanent residents. This policy change has a significant impact on many Chinese migrant families from the People’s Republic of China (prc), where filial piety is an important part of traditional values and the state provides very limited ageing support to the elderly. In the meantime, legislation came into force in China in July 2013 that requires children to visit their* elderly parents “often” or risk being sued. This paper takes these policy and legislative changes as a starting point for an exploration of the changing dynamics of Chinese migrant families in New Zealand in a multi-generational and transnational context. It first examines the impact of the New Zealand policy and then discusses the wider implications of this policy change on migrant family dynamics as well as on New Zealand society. The second focus is on younger generations in the Chinese migrant families. Linking three generations of the Chinese migrant families together, the final part of this paper addresses a highly pertinent research area — the intergenerational dimensions of transnational migration. 全球化进程催速了跨国移民家庭现象的形成。这些身居异地的移民家庭成员对家庭团聚有着非常强烈的诉求, 但却面临来自移民源发国和接收国制度和体系造成的对家庭团聚的种种阻碍。 新西兰在 2012 年开始执行新的家庭团聚担保政策。紧缩的新政策使成年移民子女担保父母移民变得更加困难，对新西兰新华人移民家庭造成了负面影响。原因主要是子女孝顺与父母同住的华人传统理念与新西兰不欢迎移民年老父母的政策倾向形成的冲突。华人移民家庭面临的压力还来自于移民源发国—— 中国的新立法改革。2013 年 7 月中国正式立法规定成年子女必须勤力探望照顾年迈父母，否则将会面临法律指控。本文以这项新立法为着眼点，深入探究新西兰多代大陆华人新移民家庭现在面临的来自家庭内部成员间的压力和来自外部跨国移民趋势的影响。本文首先研究新西兰 2012 年家庭父母类别团聚新政策对移民社区的冲击和影响， 再深入分析该新移民政策调整对移民家庭内部关系，种族关系的引申社会含义。 本文最后一部分着重比对出一个至今还被忽略的研究领域空白—那就是跨国移民的代际维度。 This article is in English.

scholarly journals Of libraries, books, and reading: A journey of meaning making

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-108
Author(s):  
Edwin Smith
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
South African ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
African History ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Library Book ◽  
History Of ◽  
Reading Culture ◽  
History Approach

In this essay I seek to demonstrate how an iterative reading of Archie L. Dick’s The Hidden History of South Africa’s Book and Reading Culture (2012), read through a life history lens, makes meaning of the lived experiences of South Africans—particularly during the time of the struggle against Apartheid, which is the focus of this essay. Relying on the life history approach to the recounting and exploration of South African history through the library, book, and reading culture of South Africans, I trace the complex and multi-layered experience of South Africa and its peoples as reported in The Hidden History. Interwoven with my own experiences with libraries, books, reading, and writing, I unveil the significant making of meaning in Dick’s enterprise. As demanded by Dick, I confirm in this essay that South African liberation history must indeed include the roles played by librarians, books, and the experiences of ordinary South Africans in order to provide a fuller appreciation of the various influences and understanding of South Africa’s past.

Adult child migration and elderly parental health in rural China

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Chang ◽  
Yaojiang Shi ◽  
Hongmei Yi ◽  
Natalie Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Adult Children ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Elderly Parents ◽  
Care For The Elderly ◽  
Child Migration ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of adult children migration on the health status of elderly parents. Increased labor migration in developing countries that lack adequate social security systems and institutionalized care for the elderly is a phenomenon that is important to understand. When their adult children go away to work, it is not clear what effect there will be on “left-behind” elderly parents. Design/methodology/approach This study employs nearly nationally representative data from five provinces, 25 counties, 101 villages and 2,000 households, collected from two waves of data in 2007 and 2011. This sample comprises a subset of households which include both elderly individuals (above 60 years old) and their grown (working-aged) children in order to estimate the impact of adult child migration on the health of elderly parents in rural China. Findings This study finds that adult child migration has a significant positive impact on the health of elderly family members. Practical implications These findings are consistent with the explanation that migration raises family resources, which in turn may contribute to better health outcomes for elderly household members. Originality/value This is the first paper to attempt to identify the relationship between household migration and the health of elderly parents within the Chinese context.

scholarly journals The impact of legislative changes in the tobacco industry on South Africans: Clearing the air

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 399-418
Author(s):  
Leon De W. Fourie ◽  
Johan De Jager
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Smoking Behaviour ◽  
National Government ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Legislative Changes ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this article is to gain insight in the South African tobacco industry, its influence on the community and the role of anti-tobacco campaigns. This is done by conducting an empirical investigation of the attitudes and behaviour of smokers and non-smokers regarding the national government campaigns against tobacco products. Consequently, it will contribute in determining the efficiency of the anti-tobacco campaigns as well as the effect of the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act, 1999 (Act 12 of 1999) on smokers and non-smokers. It is postulated that by applying the principles of marketing (demarketing and remarketing) it could contribute significantly in influencing smoking behaviour amongst South Africans.

scholarly journals The Christian church’s role in the escalating mob justice system in our black townships – An African pastoral view

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elijah Baloyi
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Police Force ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
South Africans ◽  
African Black ◽  
Violent Acts ◽  
The Impact

Among the crimes in the South African black townships, mob justice has become a growing concern. Some questions that need to be asked are: Is our police force doing enough to protect the ordinary citizens of this country? If the situation continues, will all suspects be killed in the same manner or will there be a solution to change the situation? What is the impact of mob justice on the families of the victims and the witnesses of the brutal acts? How long are we going to live as a traumatised nation as a result of these violent acts? Is there any hope that our nation will ever have the peace it deserves in the context of democracy? This article intends to investigate the impact of the mob justice system and find out what the role of the Christian church should be in the midst of this escalating violence. This study aims to unveil the negative impact of mob justice on the lives of many township South Africans and giving pastoral-biblical suggestions of the church’s role in the elimination of this kind of brutality.

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