scholarly journals Worry about eldercare in China: The role of family relations, socio-economic resources, and community services in 2000 and 2010

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongjun Sun ◽  
Haitao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Family Relations ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Economic Resources ◽  
Welfare Programs ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Social Welfare Programs

Using the survey on aged population in urban/rural China from 2000 and 2010, we aim to achieve the following three objectives: First, to document the general trend in older adults’ worry about eldercare, their family relations, socio-economic resources, and the availability of community services; second, to assess if improving socio-economic resources and availability of community services reduce older adults’ worry about eldercare; and third, to examine if family relations are still important during such social changes. Results show that older adults’ improving socioeconomic conditions and expanding community services are associated with less worry about eldercare. Meanwhile, family relations, measured by the number of children, living arrangements, and children’s filial piety, remain important. Our findings demonstrate that while building social welfare programs, including providing community services, certainly alleviates older adults’ worry about eldercare; they are no substitute for family ties, which should be facilitated rather than overlooked by public policies.

scholarly journals Migration decisions of parents and the nutrition intakes of children left at home in rural China

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 10) ◽  
pp. 467-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ning ◽  
H.-H. Chang
Keyword(s):  
Rural Area ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Welfare Programs ◽  
Nutrition Survey ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Parental Migration ◽  
Social Welfare Programs ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
At Home

Using an individual-level dataset drawn from the China Health and Nutrition Survey in 2000, 2004, 2006, and 2009, this paper investigated whether the parental labour migration is associated with deficiencies in the nutrition intakes of children left at home in the rural area. The results show that the parental migration increases the probability of deficiency in the energy and protein intake of children left at home. Although several studies have pointed out that the parental remittances can increase the economic well-being of their children at home, this study points to an undesired cost of the parental migration. Governments should establish effective policies to promote the benefits of migration while minimizing the potential costs. In particular, specific social welfare programs targeting on children in the rural area can be designed to insecure the nutritional health of children left at home in the rural area.  

Facing “Double Jeopardy”? Depressive Symptoms in Left-Behind Elderly in Rural China

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1182-1213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Song
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Migrant Children ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Traditional Patterns ◽  
Poverty Levels

Objective: When examining the depressive symptoms of left-behind elderly, this article goes beyond a focus on disruption to traditional patterns of living arrangements and investigates the heterogeneities in the patterns of migration distance, as well as the role of community contexts in buffering the loss of migrant children’s support. Method: This study uses the first wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey, and employs random effects multi-level modeling. Results: Having migrant children is associated with increased depressive symptoms among older adults, above and beyond living arrangements. Having their migrant children all live outside the province further puts older adults in disadvantaged mental conditions. This disadvantage can be further compounded by residence in impoverished communities. Discussion: In assessing depression among rural older adults in China, examination of living arrangements may be insufficient. It may be necessary to reference to children’s migration status as well as community poverty levels.

Socioeconomic resources and living arrangements of older adults in Lebanon: who chooses to live alone?

2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
RANIA A. TOHME ◽  
KATHRYN M. YOUNT ◽  
SARA YASSINE ◽  
OLLA SHIDEED ◽  
ABLA MEHIO SIBAI
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Economic Resources ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Socioeconomic Resources ◽  
Western Model

ABSTRACTDuring recent decades, Lebanon has experienced demographic and social changes which, coupled with political instability, have led to waves of youth migration and a higher proportion of older adults living alone. This paper uses the 2004 data of the ‘Pan Arab Project for Family Health’ to assess the levels of various living arrangements and to examine the correlates of living alone, with a focus on economic resources. The findings reveal that 12 per cent of older adults in Lebanon lived alone (17.3 per cent of women and 6.2 per cent of men). Financially better-off older adults and those who reported being satisfied with their income were, respectively, 4.4 and 1.7 times significantly more likely to live alone than their counterparts. The incomes of Lebanese older adults were mainly provided by their children (74.8%) and a relatively small share derived from pension schemes. Contrary to findings from other Arab countries, variations in living arrangements among Lebanese older adults seem to follow the western model whereby wealthier older individuals are more likely to live alone and to be residentially independent. Further studies are warranted to examine to what extent this trend is the result of past migration of adult children who are now established elsewhere and sending remittances home.

Care Preferences Among Chinese Older Adults with Daily Care Needs: Individual and Community Factors

2020 ◽  
pp. 016402752093932
Author(s):  
Jiehua Lu ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Kunyu Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Modern China ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Community Factors ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Using Data

Traditionally, Chinese families have been the primary provider of care for older adults, and older people expected family care. However, along with the modernization and demographic transition, family functions have been weakened, and state-based care has begun to play an essential role in supporting family care for older people. This paper aims to assess the care preferences of older people and the different responsibilities of individuals and communities in modern China. Using data from the 2014 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) and multinomial logistic regression modeling, we find that family care remains the cornerstone for older adults and their care preferences are associated with individual and community factors, mainly including the number of children, education level, residential area, the presence of health infrastructure and care facilities, and the values associated with filial piety of older adults.

The power of culture: the gendered impact of family structures and living arrangements on social networks of Chinese older adults

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Menghan Zhao ◽  
Fan Yang ◽  
Youlang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Chinese Society ◽  
Family Structures ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Most of the extant literature on the fertility history and social networks of older adults has focused on advanced societies. Nevertheless, a limited number of studies have explored how culturally preferred family structures or living arrangements are related to older adults’ social networks in developing societies. This study examined these issues in the Chinese context and paid particular attention to the filial piety and preference for sons dominating Chinese society. Using nationally representative data of adults aged 60 and over from China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey in 2016, we constructed family and friend network scores following previous studies and developed linear models using multiple imputation for the missing data. The results suggested that childless older adults were the most disadvantaged in receiving support from family networks. Despite China's patrilineal culture, daughters were important sources of support. In terms of friend networks, older men who had no sons were least likely to receive support while co-residing with a partner and a son(s) might benefit them. Further analysis revealed that older rural women, but not older urban women, also had more support from friend networks if living with sons, implying urban–rural differences. Given the impact of social networks on older adults’ health and wellbeing, older Chinese people with no sons might need more support from other sources, such as aged-care programmes from public institutions, to achieve healthy ageing.

scholarly journals Family care-giving and living arrangements of functionally impaired elders in rural China

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 633-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROB J. GRUIJTERS
Keyword(s):  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Traditional Practices ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Care Givers ◽  
Care Giving ◽  
Functionally Impaired

ABSTRACTChina has seen a rapid decline of the traditional multi-generational household and an increase in rural-to-urban migration, raising concerns about a possible breakdown of the informal support system. Against this background, the paper looks at family care-giving (or the absence thereof) to parents in three different living arrangements: with any child or child-in-law (co-resident); independent with at least one child living in the same community (networked); and without any children in either the household or the community (isolated). It also compares the care-giving arrangements of single elders to those living with a spouse. The sample, which is derived from the comprehensive China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), contains data on 887 functionally impaired individuals aged 60 and above. The findings suggest that married parents are mostly cared for by their spouse, even if they co-reside with adult children. Proximity to children is particularly important for single elders, who are more likely to lack a care-giver when living independently. There appears to be a hierarchy in family care responsibilities, where children step in as care-givers only when the spouse is no longer able to fulfil this role. While these findings imply a significant deviation from traditional practices and norms of ‘filial piety’, they can be interpreted as a rational adaptation to the changed economic circumstances in rural China.

scholarly journals TRADITIONAL NETWORK ON MENTAL HEALTH: SUPPORT FROM CHILDREN AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS FOR OLDER ADULTS IN RURAL CHINA

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S511-S512
Author(s):  
Lei Chen ◽  
Fernando Torres-Gil
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Rural China ◽  
National Level ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Number Of Children

Abstract In rural China, support from children is the traditional network for older adults. Their mental health problem is poorly understood and remains unsolved. The study aims to explore the relationships between older adults’ depressive symptoms and characteristics of support from children under the current social-structural conditions in rural China. The study is informed by the intergenerational solidarity theory and the theoretical framework of social relationships and their influence on health. The quantitative study is based on the recent wave of Harmonized China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (Harmonized CHARLS) in 2015, which is a high-quality national-level dataset. The study applies conditional process analysis to do the data analysis. The key findings include: the number of children has a negative association with older adults’ depressive symptoms (c= -.2390, p=.0002<0.05); the number of children influenced older adults’ depressive symptoms indirectly through financial support from children (If children do not live with older parents, ab=-.0141, CI= -.393 to -.0038; If children live with older parents, ab=-.0153, CI= -.369 to -.0056;). However, both theses direct and indirect relationships do not depend on the co-residence situation between older adults and their children. The controlling variables include age, gender, and self-rated health. Under China’s current transition period of population policy, this study provides policy implications regards to the characteristics of children support and their influence on older adults’ mental health, especially in rural China. This study also tests the two theories to some extent under the Chinese context, which were initially developed in Western countries.

scholarly journals Someone at Home: How Kinship Support Influences Aging-in-Place Decisions Among Childless Older Adults in Rural China

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 435-436
Author(s):  
Chen Hongzhou ◽  
Vivian Lou ◽  
Hongzhou Chen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Kinship Support ◽  
Kinship Relations ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
At Home

Abstract Background and aim: 80% of childless older adults in rural China choose to ageing-in-place (AIP) rather than moving to residential facilities, regardless the fact that they were financially constrained, scarily supported and some were physically disabled. This research explores the reason why AIP were prevailing preferred. Research design and Method: A qualitative method adopting constructive grounded theory approach was utilized in this research. 20 in-depth interviews were conducted among childless rural residents (aged 60 to 83 years old, 8 of them were over 75 years old) in Yunnan, one of the most economically disadvantaged provinces in China. Data was transcript and coded line-by-line, a in Vivo coding strategy was engaged to capture local language and meanings. Results: A phrase - ‘there’s someone at home’ - was used by rural childless older adults to explain their AIP decision, which demonstrating the role of kinship relations. Three sub-themes were emerged regarding to the phrase: 1) reciprocity, as the support were mutual and predictable; 2) justified conflicts, as older adults and ‘someone’ managing the support relation with subtle conflict; 3) unspoken agreement, as childless older adults being constrained by filial piety when negotiating for further support. All of sub-themes were related with sense of certainty. For participants who were over 75, growing old were “naturally” related with decreased social support. The daily-based kinship support and sense of certainty was particularly important among childless older adults who would like to choose AIP but still questioning the sustainability of self-reliance at an uncertain rural place.

scholarly journals Living Arrangements, Offspring Migration, and Health of Older Adults in Rural China: Revelation From Biomarkers and Propensity Score Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 71-82
Author(s):  
Qian Song ◽  
Feinian Chen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Propensity Score Analysis ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Score Analysis ◽  
Multigenerational Household ◽  
Biomarker Data

Objective: We examine the combined effects of living arrangements and outmigration of adult children on rural older adults’ health profiles, measured by biomarker data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011. Method: We employ biomarker data and propensity score analysis which allows us to effectively deal with selection issues that are commonly observed in the literature. Results: We show complex health implications of living arrangements and offspring migration. Living in a traditional multigenerational household has limited health benefits to older adults. However, older parents of migrants who live in a multigenerational household have better fitness in blood pressure. Their advantage over parents of migrants in other living arrangements suggests added benefits of the presence of grandchildren. Discussion: This study bridges the living arrangement and migration literature on health by showing that health effects of adult children’s migration on older adults are contingent upon their living arrangements.

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