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 97.0Commercial medicare 0 99.8Cooperate Medical care 10.9 88.9Others 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 65-69 70-74

75-79

80-84 85+

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.

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 UrbanTotal 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 Area Have a Surplus

Just Enough

Rather Difficult

Very Difficult Total

2000 Urban 22 57.2 16.1 4.6 100

Rural 10.4 48.8 33.5 7.3 100

1992 Urban 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 70-74 75-79

80-84 85+

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 2.6Fourth

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

choice 16.1 17.5 14.4Third choice 2.7 3.1 2.3

Fourth choice 2.0 2.6 1.2Data Source: SAP,2000

Main Income Sources of Elderly by Age(%)

　 Main Source 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+

Total 100.0 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100

Labor Income 49.97 37.66 22.88 14.55 7.13 4.78

Pension 22.14 21.68 19.39 15.31 11.90 8.95

Support by Other Family

Member25.5

0 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

Male Female Male Femal

e Male Female

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100Labor Income 14.8 5.71 27.4 12.41 54.9 31.94

Pension 70.88 46.06 44.06 14.83 8.63 1.05Support by

Other Family Members

11.36 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 ruralTotal 100 100 100 100

Labor Income 10.1 43.15 14.3 29.18Pension 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 1992 in rural Heavily Depending on Children-support Main income source:still from family and own work Society changes,but nochang of self-supporting 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 Alone

With 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

Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

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 familyempty

nest family

alone Only 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