An Analysis On The Influence Of Living Arrangements On The Mental Health Of The Rural Elderly

With comprehensive coverage of China's modernization,acceleration of population mobility and migration and changes in social structure,prompting changes in family structure, family structure progressively smaller,which makes the life of elderly is also changing rapidly. Economic life,living arrangements,child support,health,etc. pensions issues are more and more prominent.Based on the realistic background,the author reviews the relevant literature,based on the application of survey research methods,make an analysis on the influence of living arrangements on the mental health of the rural elderly,in order to improve social security system for the elderly and put forward feasible policy recommendations.Using the data from the surver,"Well-being of the elderly in Anhui Province",conducted in november 2009,by the Institue for Population and Development Studies of Xi'an Jiaotong University in Chaohu city,Anhui Province,make an analysis on the influence of living arrangements on the mental health of the rural elderly.This study based on the analysis on international literature relevant content found the inadequate of these research,and indicated that the influence of living arrangements on the mental health of the rural elderly have some research space.In combination with China's unique cultural background and socio-economic status of family pension,proposed analytical framework and research hypotheses. This study indicated the influence of living arrangements on the mental health of the rural elderly:life satisfaction of the elderly who live in trunk and inter-generational family is better than the elderly of the empty nesters;under the different living arrangements,the intergenerational exchange between the elderly and their children have a positive impact on the life satisfaction of the elderly;The elderly choose to live in stem families and inter-generational family directly or indirectly reflects the honor of children to the elderly,in line with China's traditional culture of family pension and realize the old man's psychological well-being,help to curb the generation of elderly depression.The results revealed that the Confucian culture of filial piety still prevails in rural China,different living arrangements and relevant factors will have an impact on mental health of the elderly, especially the intergenerational exchange between the elderly and their children,which have a significant effect on mental health.Therefore,family and community should give more attention on the elderly of empty nesters.In conclusion,based on theories an empirical study,the study discussed systematically on the influence of living arrangements on the mental health of the rural elerly,pointed to the different living arrangements have different effects on the elderly mental health,and put forward to the relative policy suggestions for perfecting social security system in rural China.