Attitudes and preferences towards future old-age support amongst tomorrow’s elders in China

Abstract

BACKGROUND The life course experiences of those born in China from the late 1950s to early 1970s have been very different to those of their predecessors; they may not be able to, or wish to, rely on their family for support in later life in the future. OBJECTIVE We investigated the attitudes towards current provision of old-age support and preferences for their future old-age living arrangements amongst individuals aged 40-55, representing the next generation of China's older people. METHOD Using data from the 2013 Chinese Household Finance Survey, we made multi-variate analyses focussed on understanding the roles of family structure, socioeconomic status, and current patterns of intergenerational support in shaping attitudes and preferences towards old-age support among today's mid-lifers. RESULTS Attitudes and preferences towards old-age support are shaped by relations within the family, which in turn are affected by broader historical and contemporary social, economic, and cultural conditions. Specifically, the number of children, having a son, Hukou status, and education influence people's attitudes and preferences. The results also point to important gender and cohort differences. One unexpected finding is that around a quarter of Chinese mid-life women living in urban areas and with just one adult child are actively considering the option of institutional care for their own old age, highlighting that social norms around care in later life are shifting.

Will Downward Intergenerational Housing Support Increase Parents’ Expectations for Old-Age Care from Adult Children? Evidence from China

“…The actual experiences of reduced child availability may undermine their faith in getting children’s help despite the traditional values of dependence on children and earlier investment in children. Consistent with previous studies (Cheung, 2019; Qin et al, 2020), our finding supports the modernization perspective by showing a stronger reciprocal relationship among the 1950s cohort than the post-1950s cohort. Those born since 1960 were exposed to a modern society characterized by marketization, individualization, mobility, and social security development more than the older cohorts.…”

“…On one hand, housing investment for children tends to substantially reduce the parents’ resources for future old-age care that could be outsourced to the market, which increases their need for instrumental care from children. On the other hand, the finding broadly supports the argument that traditional cultural norms of family support still remain stable, at least amongst the middle-aged/older parents (Qin et al, 2020). Under the need-based intergenerational transfer model and a long-lasting filial piety culture, when the need for old-age care increases after a downward transfer toward any of the children, parents would have a higher expectation for old-age care from their children overall, relative to anyone else.…”

Typologies of Intergenerational Relations in Urban and Rural China: A Latent Class Analysis

“…The findings indicate that current patterns of intergenerational relationship are widely shaped by social modernization (Djundeva et al, 2019). Although evidence suggests traditional norms of intergenerational support remain widespread in China, the results also highlight new patterns of intergenerational relations shaped by internal migration and increased geographic distance, and the emerging trend of autonomy and independence among some urban Chinese older adults, who have higher socioeconomic status, better education and self-supported adult children, and who are not expecting to rely on children for future care (Cheung, 2019;Qin et al, 2020;Tang & Wang, 2022).…”

“…Their relatively higher economic autonomy and fewer numbers of children might in turn influence urban elders’ care expectations and their intergenerational practices (Tang & Wang, 2022). In contrast, expectations around older age care in rural areas remain more traditional reflecting a considerable cultural lag (Hu, 2017; Qin et al, 2020).…”

Advancing children’s geographies through ‘grey areas’ of age and childhood

“… See Liebel (2020);Aitken (2018);Evans and Holt (2011);Skelton (2009);Horton et al, (2008); Onta-Bhatta (2001), for age-based discussions/debates on interdisciplinary influence shaping Children's Geographies/Childhood Studies.2 For more global interactions with Life Course Theory refer to;Payne et al (2020);Qin et al (2020);Wood et al (2018);Elder et al (2003).…”