The life satisfaction of elderly Chinese widows living alone and those living with adult children

Abstract

Care of China's elderly population is of concern due to its projected growth as well as to changes in elder care patterns related to shifting social and economic conditions. Increases in life expectancy and, therefore, in the duration of widowhood, particularly for women, magnifies this concern. Studies that examine the living arrangements and life satisfaction of elderly widows in China are limited. This study of 147 elderly widows, both men and women, examined differences in the life satisfaction of those who live with their adult children and those who live alone. This study also examined whether the relationship between living arrangement and life satisfaction was moderated by levels of family and community support. According to study findings, elderly widows living alone have higher life satisfaction than those living with their adult children, and this effect remains with the introduction of controls for health status, family support, community support, gender, age, income and educational level. Further, neither family nor community support moderate the relationship between living arrangement and life satisfaction, although each exerts a direct effect on life satisfaction.

中国的老人照顾受社会关注，原因在于年长者人口的预期增长，以及因不断转变的社会和经济状况对老人照顾模式的改变。预期寿命的增长和随之而来尤其是女性寡居时间的延长，更令这课题值得我们关注。有关中国丧偶长者生活安排和生活满意程度的研究很少。本研究调查了147位包括男和女的丧偶长者，探讨长者与成年子女同住和独居对生活满意度的差异。研究同时探讨家庭和邻里支援程度是否影响长者生活安排和生活满意度之间的关系。研究发现，独居的丧偶长者比与成年子女同住的丧偶长者有较高的生活满意度，而即使对照健康状况、家庭支持、邻里支持、性别、年龄、收入和教育程度，这种效果依然存在。而且，家庭和邻里支援都不影响他们的生活安排和生活满意度之间的关系，即使两者都分别对生活满意度有直接影响。

Keywords::

• Chinese elderly widows
• family support
• community support
• living arrangements
• life satisfaction