Are Empty-Nest Elders Unhappy? Re-examining Chinese Empty-Nest Elders’ Subjective Well-Being Considering Social Changes

Zhang, Yan

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00885

Cited by 16 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Filial piety in Chinese culture is defined as the modes of respectful behaviors towards parents, including living with them and taking care of them (Zhan and Montgomery, 2003). Although adherence to the traditional sense of filial piety has weakened among the younger generation, older Chinese still value filial duties and tend to view empty nesters as unhappy (Luo and Zhan, 2012; Zhang, 2020). China is also one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world (United Nations, 2019), which leads to prolific research in various sub-groups of the older population including older empty nesters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A scoping review of older empty nesters’ mental health and its contributors

Park

Mendoza

2022

MHRJ

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Purpose Although the effects of the empty nest syndrome on mental health have long been examined, middle-aged empty nesters were generally at the focus of this examination. However, the number of older empty nesters, namely, empty nesters 60 years old or above, is expected to increase as the population is aging. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to examine previous studies concerning mental health outcomes specifically among older empty nesters and to identify major contributors to their mental health. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a scoping review by following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews guidelines. Findings A total of 18 studies selected for this review had been all conducted in Asia. A majority indicated that older empty nesters were at higher risks of poor mental health than their peers who were not empty nesters. Major contributors to their mental health included gender, education, income, living arrangement, health behaviors, personality, coping styles, resilience, a sense of coherence and social support. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first scoping review which concerns older empty nesters and their mental health outcomes. This review offers recommendations for researchers, policy makers, and healthcare providers based on the findings and knowledge gaps in the current literature.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A scoping review of older empty nesters’ mental health and its contributors

Park

Mendoza

2022

MHRJ

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“…Urbanization also worsened the the ageing of society in third-tier, fourth-tier, and fifth-tier cities, and the problem of elderly care for the elderly in empty nests has also attracted greater attention from society (Zhai, 1997). The main dilemma faced by the empty-nest elderly in providing for the elderly includes the material level and the spiritual level (Gao et al, 2017;Xing, 2018;Zhang, 2020;Zhang et al, 2021). They need economic supply, children's companionship, spiritual and cultural life, and spiritual comfort -all of which can enhance their quality of life.…”

Section: Needs Of the Empty Nest Elderlymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As such, as the ageing population persists, empty nest families will become the main form of elderly families in China (Liu et al, 2015;Wei, 2010;Zhang, 2020). Empty nest family is defined by Preedy and Watson (2010) as "a kind of family in which the children are not living close to the elderly and they are left living alone in the family home" (https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F9 78-0-387-78665-0_5581).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Care Needs Assessment of Elderlies in Empty Nest Families: The Case of Wenzhou, China

Liu¹,

Li²,

Yan³

2022

IJEH

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China’s rapid modernization has resulted to significant shifts in its social, cultural, and economic makeup. Specifically, its population is ageing that threatens their economic growth trajectories. Because the tradition of “raise children against ageing” still has influence in Chinese society, the country is facing the issue of covering elderly care costs while ensuring continued support for everyone. Given China’s economic growth, we explore on how the needs of the elderly in empty nest families be fulfilled, particularly in Wenzhou where elderly population in empty nest families has been increasing. While both government and families demonstrate the need to care for the elderly by providing both tangible and intangible needs, survey results revealed that most elderlies in empty nest families in Wenzhou are satisfied living at home in their old age as long as they can still attend to themselves and can still find ways to satisfy their needs despite their age. These needs include continuing education, health consultations and assistance, and outpatient treatment. Knowing the specific needs of the elderlies in empty nest families allows government and families to direct resources on their actual needs that matter most rather than on perceived needs.

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“…Noteworthily, a significant decline in family support may occur because of family structure changes such as entering the empty-nest phase (Su et al, 2012;Zhang, 2020). It can also be reasonably expected that the number of seniors living without their children will get more and more in the following years due to upward geographic mobility.…”

Section: How Can the Findings Be Used To Influence Policymaking Or Practice Or Research Or Education?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dual trajectories of loneliness and depression and their baseline correlates over a 14‐year follow‐up period in older adults: Results from a nationally representative sample in Taiwan

Liu

Huang

Wang

et al. 2021

Int J Older People Nursing

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Aims:To explore the codevelopment between loneliness and depression in older adults, and to identify its potential baseline individual, family and extrafamilial correlates. Background:The number of older adults around the world has steadily increased over the last decades. Later life is a particularly vulnerable life stage due to multiple unfavourable conditions, and mental health in this stage appears to become an inescapable issue. Previous research has found the cross-sectional association between loneliness and depression, but their codevelopment has been understudied. Therefore, exploring the codevelopment and its correlates has significant implications for prevention and healthcare professionals.Design: A longitudinal follow-up study. Methods:The study used nationally representative data over a 14-year follow-up period from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Ageing focused on Taiwanese aged 60 years and above (n = 4049). Group-based trajectory modelling, group-based dualtrajectory modelling and multinomial logistic regression were the primary analytical methods. Results:We identified three distinct dual trajectories of loneliness and depression: longitudinal low-frequency lonely depressed (29.3%), longitudinal moderatefrequency lonely depressed (59.4%) and longitudinal high-frequency lonely depressed (11.3%). After considering several demographic and background characteristics, difficulty in physical functioning, number of physical symptoms and diseases, sleep quality and number of child deaths were found to be significantly associated. Conclusion:Across the three identified dual-trajectory groups, they all showed a stable loneliness frequency pattern over time; however, the moderate-frequency group and high-frequency group both had a trajectory of increasing depression.

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Are Empty-Nest Elders Unhappy? Re-examining Chinese Empty-Nest Elders’ Subjective Well-Being Considering Social Changes

Cited by 16 publications

References 52 publications

A scoping review of older empty nesters’ mental health and its contributors

A scoping review of older empty nesters’ mental health and its contributors

A Care Needs Assessment of Elderlies in Empty Nest Families: The Case of Wenzhou, China

Dual trajectories of loneliness and depression and their baseline correlates over a 14‐year follow‐up period in older adults: Results from a nationally representative sample in Taiwan

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