The Research Of Social Support About Urban Residents Of Empty Nester

In this paper, social support theory was applied to study the urban empty nester. Social support theory is one of the main theories about empowering disadvantaged groups. Empty nesters are one of the vulnerable groups in urban communities; they are faced with economic troubles, problems in daily life, mental health and social interaction. The text uses social support theory to find out the support factors in empty nesters’s environment. On the basis of data from the social survey, a descriptive analysis and statistical analysis were done in communities of Jinan about the composition, current situation and affecting factors of the support network for urban empty nesters. Furthermore, the paper points out the lack of social support for empty-nesters and made relevant recommendations. The paper is divided into five parts:Chapter one introduces the background and significance of the study and gives an overview of the development of the relevant theory and problems.Chapter two introduces the basic concepts, theoretical basis, research methods and the major issues of the research.Chapter three analyzes the support network of the empty-nesters. The paper divides social support network into economic support, life care support and mental support networks. The source of social support is divided into formal and informal support systems. Formal support includes the Civil Affairs Department, the Social Security Department, the workplace and community. Informal support includes family, relatives and friends, colleagues, volunteer organizations and so on.Chapter four analyzes correlations between social support and background factors like gender, age, education and income of empty-nesters.Chapter five gives the conclusions and suggestions of the paper. This text points out the obstacles in formal support and informal support of empty-nesters:the obstacles in formal support are incomplete social security system, low level of medical security and weak community care, the obstacles of informal support are overdependence on spouse, absent emotional support of offspring and aggravate old burden for interact support. At last, the paper puts forward the corresponding suggestions for the social security system, community building and family caregivers.