The Conflict Between the trend of Living in Empty Nests and Changes of Self-Supporting Ability of Chinese Elderly
Zhenwu ZhaiPopulation and Development
Studies Center, People’s University of China
China Society:Rapid Changing
Economy High Growth rate for more than 20
years GDP per Capita quadrupled Market economy(reform)
Society Multi-structure Gap increasing between rich and poor
China Society:Rapid Changing
Population Fertility decline Migration and flowing peasant-
workers High Sex ratio Aging
Status and Trend of Self-Supporting Ability
Data The healthy longevity survey in
china, 2000( HLS) The sampling survey of the aged
population in china ,2000, (SAP) Census Data Survey on supporting system for
elderly,1992 （ SSE ）
Self-supporting ability Status of Medical care security Daily care and nursing service
available Economic status
Current situation Compare with 1992
Depending on Children-support as First Choice
Main income source
Status of Rural Elderly Entitled to Medical Security(SAP)
Yes NoPublic Medical expense
3.0 97.0
Commercial medicare
0 99.8
Cooperate Medical care
10.9 88.9
Others 32.7 67.2
Rural Elderly in Need of Daily Life by Age Group （ % ）
Total 60-64
65-69 70-74
75-79 80-84
85+
Total 100.0 100.0
100.0 100.0
100.0 100.0
100.0
No 93.0 96.6 95.9 93.6 89.2 81.3 70.4
Yes 6.6 2.8 3.8 6.2 10.2 18.3 29.6 No
Answer 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.7 0.4
Data Source: SAP,2000
Community home nursing service available,hire and demand status of rural elderly
answer %
Not available 95.4Available 4.4Not used 98.7Ever used 0.9Not need 79.5Need 20.4
Rural Elderly Feeling Their Savings Enough for Self-support by Age(%)
Total 60-64 65-6970-
7475-
7980-
8485+
Total100.
0 100.0 100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
No 73.3 72.5 75.4 70.7 72.0 80.8 68.8
Yes 25.4 26.9 23.6 27.7 26.2 17.3 25.0
No Answ
er1.3 0.6 1.1 1.6 1.9 1.9 6.3
Data Source: SAP,2000
Elderly Feeling Their Savings Enough for Self-support by Area(%)
Rural Urban
Total 100.0 100.0
No 73.3 48.5
Yes 25.4 48.6
No Answer 1.3 2.8
Data Source: SAP,2000
Self-rated on economic status of Aged
population by Area (1992&2000)
Year AreaHave a Surplus
Just Enough
Rather Difficult
Very Difficult
Total
2000Urba
n 22 57.2 16.1 4.6 100
Rural 10.4 48.8 33.5 7.3 100
1992Urba
n 15.3 63.9 15.9 5 100
Rural 12.7 53.1 22.7 11.6 100
Data sourse:(1),SAP, 2000 （ 2 ） SCSSE ,1992
Rural Elderly Depending on Children-support as First Choice, by Age(%)
Total60-
64
65-69 70-7475-
7980-
8485+
Total 100.0 100.
0 100.0 100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
First choice 79.1 77.1 78 80.2 80.9 84.8 79.5
Second choice
16.1 17.4 16.8 15.6 14.7 12.6 16
Third choice 2.7 3.1 2.9 2.5 2.8 1.2 2.6
Fourth choice
2.0 2.4 2.2 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.9
Data Source: SAP,2000
Rural Elderly Depending on Children-support as First Choice, by Gender(%)
Total Male FemaleTotal 100.0 100.0 100.0
First choice 79.1 76.8 82.0 Second
choice16.1 17.5 14.4
Third choice 2.7 3.1 2.3Fourth choice
2.0 2.6 1.2Data Source: SAP,2000
Main Income Sources of Elderly by Age(%)
Main Source60-
6465-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+
Total100.
0100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100
Labor Income49.9
7 37.66 22.88 14.55 7.13 4.78
Pension22.1
4 21.68 19.39 15.31 11.90 8.95
Support by Other Family
Member
25.50
37.51 53.43 65.15 75.50 80.94
Others 2.39 3.15 4.31 4.99 5.47 5.32 Data Source :The Fifth Census,2000
Income Sources of Elderly by Age(%)
0%
10%20%
30%40%
50%
60%70%
80%90%
100%
60- 64 65- 69 70- 74 75- 79 80- 84 85+
Age
%
Labor I ncome Pensi on Support by Other Fami l y Member Others
Income Sources of Elderly by Area & Gender(%)
Data Source :The Fifth Census,2000
Main SourceCity Town Rural
MaleFemal
eMale
Female
MaleFemal
e
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100
Labor Income 14.8 5.71 27.4 12.41 54.9 31.94
Pension 70.88 46.06 44.06 14.83 8.63 1.05
Support by Other Family
Members11.36 43.32 23.74 67.36 32.9 64.24
Basic Living Security
1.58 3.35 2.24 2.96 1.41 0.82
Others 1.38 1.55 2.55 2.45 2.18 1.95
Income Source of Elderly by Area(%),1994 &2000
Main Source2000 1994
city rural city rural
Total 100 100 100 100
Labor Income 10.1 43.15 14.3 29.18
Pension 58.05 4.76 48.54 4.39
Support by Other Family
Member27.88 48.92 34.94 64.23
Others 3.97 3.17 2.22 2.2
Self-supporting ability Very low level of Status of Medical care security Daily care and nursing service from community
NOT available Economic status: not improved much since 199
2 in rural Heavily Depending on Children-support Main income source:still from family and own
work Society changes,but nochang of self-supportin
g ability
What the trend of empty nest?
Empty nest family status(%),2000
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
total ci ty town rural
empty nest nonempty nest2000 census data
Distribution of empty nest （ % ）
ci ty,25. 37
town,12. 75
rural ,61. 88
2000 census data
Distribution of Activities of Daily Living of the Elders by Living Arrangement(%)
Activity of daily living
AloneWith spouse only
In a nursing
Total
Fully independent 89.36 81.89 66.74 79.81
Relatively independent
6.26 12.32 20.86 13.36
Relatively dependent
1.69 1.97 3.59 1.92
Fully dependent 2.69 3.81 8.81 4.91
Total100.0
0 100.00 100.00 100.00
Data source: HLS,2000
Increase of Rural Empty Nest Family
1982 （ 60 ）、 1997 、 1999 、 2001 empty nest family （ % ）
year
空巢家庭
Non empty nest family
empty nest family
aloneOnly with
spouse
1982 12.64 7.94 4.70 87.36
1997 21.75 11.01 10.74 77.96
1999 22.00 10.73 11.27 77.71
2001 24.82 12.33 12.49 75.12 Data source:1982 census ； 1997 、 1999 、 2001 pop
sampling survey
Trend of empty nest family Nuclear family increase in
rural(independent) Young people flow to urban
140 million flowing population Staying at home: ”389961”
Lower fertility, higher probability of empty family due to fewer children
Early age of ending childbearing, early age facing empty nest
percentage of empty nest family will increase rapidly in the future
Conclusion Conflict between trend of empty nest family
and unimproved self supporting ability of elderly
High risk if fully depending on children Rural also needs community service system Must establish social security in rural soon Principle: coverage first, level second Must take action now, otherwise elderly will
not face a better life, but relative worse one in the future, the older, the higher risk of facing empty nest, and the worse.
Thank you
