Research On The Problems And Countermeasures Of Old-age Care For Empty Nest Elderly In Rural Areas

With the development of China’s economy and society and increase of Chinese living standards,a large number of young and middle-aged rural laborers have flooded into economically developed areas in order to pursue a better life.The long-term outflow of young and middle-aged people has led to not only a continuous increase in the number of empty-nest elderly in rural areas but also a severer problem in providing for the rural empty-nest elderly as a result of the long absence of the family-supporting mode.Therefore,how to solve the current problems in supporting the rural empty-nest elderly and improve their living standards and quality of is related to the harmonious and stable development of China’s economy and society.Meanwhile,it is also connected with the high-quality completion of building a moderately well-off society.Based on domestic and foreign scholars’ researches on elderly care issues in rural empty-nest elderly,a field survey was conducted in the rural areas of Jianli County,Hubei Province through questionnaire surveys and interviews from the needs of rural empty-nest elderly with the aid of family life cycle theory,Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory,and welfare multiple theory,whose population includes a large number of empty nest elderly people with a large outflow of young and middle-aged population in this relatively less developed area.After statistical analysis of the current situation of the elderly in rural empty nests in Jianli County,it is found that for lack of their children’s availability for a long time due to various reasons,the rural empty-nest elderly are suffering from varying degrees of problems in economic supply,living care,medical care,spiritual comfort and so on,which are mainly manifested as limited financial resources,incomplete medical care,heavy financial burdens,lack of daily care,lack of safety guarantees,lack of daily emotional communication and a poverty of spiritual and cultural life,etc.When analyzed from three aspects of the government,society,and family,the causes of these problems can be listed as follows: 1.the legal system for the elderly security is not impeccable;2.the rural elderly security system is incomplete;3.the government’s economic security capacity is insufficient;4.the development of old-age service institutions is difficult and the professionals of old-age service are in short;6.with the scale of rural families becoming smaller and a large number of rural laborers transferred to cities,the effect of traditional filial piety culture in rural areas is declining.In order to better solve the problems of the elderly in rural empty-nest elderly,the government,society,and family should work together to establish and improve rural empty-nest care.First of all,family should continue playing a leading role in caring for the aged,promoting the traditional virtues and enhancing the self-care ability of the empty-nest elderly.Secondly,society are supposed to vigorously develop new rural elderly care models,and promote institutional elderly care services.Thirdly,government,as the dominant role,should establish and improve laws and regulations on elderly care services,establish and improve the rural elderly care security system,and promote the development of the elderly care industry.