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Cultural and demographic changes and their effects upon the traditional grandparent role for Chinese elders
- Author:
- MJELDE-MOSSEY Lee Ann
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 16(3), 2007, pp.107-120.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article explores how demographic and cultural changes are affecting traditional intergenerational roles for Chinese elders. In the traditional Chinese culture, the grandparent role is highly anticipated because of the high value and status accorded to it. In today's China, these aging traditions are on the decline and, at the same time, the older generation is on the increase. China's one-child policy and the resulting decline in fertility rates are raising concerns about how a shrinking younger generation will care for an expanding older generation.
Relationship between productive activities, family relations, and aging well for elders in China
- Authors:
- MJELDE-MOSSEY Lee Ann, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 18(4), October 2009, pp.276-292.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
By understanding how culture interacts with aging well social workers can enhance their cultural competence in practice, policy and research. This study explored determinants of aging well in elders in China. In traditional Chinese culture, elders have assumed a socially integrated and productive social role within the family; paralleling the active engagement domain of the Rowe and Kahn model of successful aging. However, this model focuses on health and physical functioning with less emphasis on psychosocial aspects such as culture. The authors tests the strength of the relationship between two variables representative of Chinese aging traditions, productive activity and family relations, and the two indicators of aging well, self-rated health and depression. In home interviews were conducted with 1,502 randomly selected Chinese elders aged 60 or over from three different regions. Two hierarchical regression models were tested. Step one used age, gender, marital status, financial adequacy, living alone, and reading ability. Step two added the active engagement variables of productive activity and family relations. Each model was significant at both steps with an inverse association for depression and a positive association for self-rated health. The authors suggest that despite rapid modernisation, family mobility and loss of traditional values, Chinese elders have not been completely marginalised and younger generations still have an imperative to provide support. However they suggest that elders will be challenged to create new pathways to remaining socially integrated and contributory.