Challenges for the Aging Family in the People’s Republic of China

La République populaire de Chine a la plus grande population de personnes âgées de tous les pays du monde. Il est une nation qui a subi d'énormes changements économiques, sociaux et démographiques au cours des dernières trois et demi-décennies. Traditionnellement, la famille a fourni le soutien social principal pour les personnes âgées; sous le socialisme précoce, cela a changé quelque peu, mais au cours des dernières années, l'importance du soutien de la famille a été réaffirmé. Cet article examine quatre questions essentielles (changements démographiques, le système du hukou, le réforme économique, et les caractéristiques générales entourant la modernisation) qui ont peu à peu changé la capacité des familles à fournir un soutien pour leur membres plus âgés. Domaines de recherche et orientations de politique publique sont considérés en vertu de lesquelles l'État pourrait prendre quelques responsabilités de la famille, soutenir la capacité des soins, et aussi améliorer la qualité et la quantité de l'aide pour les citoyens âgés.

Coresidence with elderly parents in contemporary China: the role of filial piety, reciprocity, socioeconomic resources, and parental needs

This paper examines how adult children's expressed filial piety, receipt of help from parents, socioeconomic resources, and parents' needs are associated with the likelihood of parent-child coresidence in contemporary China. Drawing on the 2002 wave of the Chinese Survey of Family Dynamics and the 2002 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, we used logistic regression to analyze correlates of coresidence with parents of 3,938 married adult children, aged 35 to 65. Results show that the stronger the filial piety expressed by adult children, the higher their likelihood of coresiding with their parents. Married adult children are also more likely to coreside with elderly parents who have provided intensive grandchild care and financial support or with those who need financial, physical, and emotional support. However, adult children who own homes are significantly less likely to live with their parents than are those who do not. These findings suggest that coresidence in contemporary China is influenced not only by parents' needs but also by children's values, socioeconomic resources, and past receipt of parental help.

An exploratory discrete-time multilevel analysis of the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China

This study undertakes a survival analysis of elderly persons in China using Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2002-2008. Employing discrete-time multilevel models, we explored the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China. This study focuses on objective (living arrangements and received support) and subjective activities (perceived support) of social support, finding that the effect of different activities of social support on the survival of elderly people varies according to the availability of different support resources. Specifically, living with a spouse, financial independence, perceiving care support from any resource is associated with higher survival rates for elderly people. Separate analysis focusing on urban elderly and rural elderly revealed broadly similar results. There is a larger difference between those perceiving care support from family or social service and not perceiving care support in urban areas comparing to those in rural areas. Those who cannot pay medical expenses are the least likely to survive. The higher level of economic development in province has no significant effect on the survival of elderly people for the whole sample model and the elderly people in urban areas; however, there is a negative influence on the survival of the rural elderly people.

Family structure and quality of life of elders in rural China: the role of the new rural social pension

Using data from a survey in Ankang district of Shaanxi province of China in 2011, this article examines the protective effect of the New Rural Social Pension (NRSP) on quality of life of rural elders, as well the moderating effect on association between family structure and quality of life. An instrumental variable approach is used. NRSP is shown to significantly improve the quality of life of rural elders, and a robustness check shows that this effect is consistent across different sets of subgroups. Compared with the elders who have at least one son, the quality of life of those who are childless or have only one child is significantly lower. The NRSP is more likely to significantly improve the quality of life of one-child elders. In addition, the associations between the NRSP and the different facets of quality of life of the elders are significant except for the facet of sensory abilities.

A support network typology for application in older populations with a preponderance of multigenerational households

This paper considers the support networks of older people in populations with a preponderance of multigenerational households and examines the most vulnerable network types in terms of loneliness and isolation. Current common typologies of support networks may not be sensitive to differences within and between different cultures. This paper uses cross-sectional data drawn from 590 elders (Gujaratis, Punjabis and Sylhetis) living in the United Kingdom and South Asia. Six variables were used in K-means cluster analysis to establish a new network typology. Two logistic regression models using loneliness and isolation as dependent variables assessed the contribution of the new network type to wellbeing. Four support networks were identified: ‘Multigenerational Households: Older Integrated Networks’, ‘Multigenerational Households: Younger Family Networks’, ‘Family and Friends Integrated Networks’ and ‘Non-kin Restricted Networks’. Older South Asians with ‘Non-kin Restricted Networks’ were more likely to be lonely and isolated compared to others. Using network typologies developed with individualistically oriented cultures, distributions are skewed towards more robust network types and could underestimate the support needs of older people from familistic cultures, who may be isolated and lonely and with limited informal sources of help. The new typology identifies different network types within multigenerational households, identifies a greater proportion of older people with vulnerable networks and could positively contribute to service planning.

Quality of Life and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults: The Role of Living Arrangements

This study asks (a) What are the relationships between types of living arrangements and psychological well-being for older adults? and (b) How do these relationships differ by gender? Data come from the 2010 wave of the National Health Interview Survey and include non-institutionalized adults aged 65 and older (N = 4,862). Dependent variables include self-rated quality of life and psychological distress. The study finds that older adults living alone or with others fare worse than those living with a spouse only. Yet, the outcomes of different types of living arrangements for older adults vary by gender. Women living with others are at greater risk of worse quality of life and serious psychological distress than men. Programs and policies must be responsive to the diverse needs of this population, rather than attempting a "one-size-fits-all" approach to housing and community-based services designed to promote older adults' psychological well-being and independence.

Associations and impact factors between living arrangements and functional disability among older Chinese adults

Objectives

To examine the association of living arrangements with functional disability among older persons and explore the mediation of impact factors on the relationship.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis using data from Healthy Aging study in Zhejiang Province.

Participants

Analyzed sample was drawn from a representative rural population of older persons in Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, including 1542 participants aged 60 and over in the second wave of the study.

Measurements

Living arrangements, background, functional disability, self-rated health, number of diseases, along with contemporaneous circumstances including income, social support (physical assistance and emotional support). Instrument was Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, including Basic Activities Daily Living (BADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL).

Results

Living arrangements were significantly associated with BADL, IADL and ADL disability. Married persons living with or without children were more advantaged on all three dimensions of functional disability. Unmarried older adults living with children only had the worst functional status, even after controlling for background, social support, income and health status variables (compared with the unmarried living alone, ß for BADL: −1.262, ß for IADL: −2.112, ß for ADL: −3.388; compared with the married living with children only, ß for BADL: −1.166, ß for IADL: −2.723, ß for ADL: −3.902). In addition, older adults without difficulty in receiving emotional support, in excellent health and with advanced age had significantly better BADL, IADL and ADL function. However, a statistically significant association between physical assistance and functional disability was not found.

Conclusion

Functional disabilities vary by living arrangements with different patterns and other factors. Our results highlight the association of unmarried elders living with children only and functioning decline comparing with other types. Our study implies policy makers should pay closer attention to unmarried elders living with children in community. Community service especially emotional support such as psychological counseling is important social support and should be improved.

Intergenerational Shared Sites

Few studies have examined older adults’ behavior and attitudes within the context of intergenerational shared site (IGSS) environments, where children and older adults receive services at the same facility and typically share space and resources on an ongoing basis. This natural study examined the behaviors of older adults participating in two senior center programs that were co-located with child care facilities. Data collection involved participant observation and in-depth interviews with staff members at each IGSS. The data were systematically coded and analyzed for themes. Although positive informal intergenerational interactions occurred at both centers, many older adults demonstrated negative behaviors and attitudes when their programs shared space and/or relinquished resources to children’s programs. Implications for research and practice are provided.