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CHINA - WOMEN IN AGEING SOCIETY FACE CHALLENGES OF SUPPORT, CARE

April 25, 2013

By Liu Chang

Editor: Zhu Yanhong

Challenges Facing China's Endowment of the Elderly

With the development of its economy and society after more than 30 years' reform and opening-up, China has changed greatly in many areas related to provisions for the elderly.

[fjjsw.gov.cn]

The number of traditional extended families where there are three or four generations living together in both rural and urban areas in China has decreased and, at the same time, the number of core families has increased. With the smaller average size of families, traditional functions of the family related to child-bearing and also the provision for the elderly have weakened, which poses a big challenge to China's traditional methods of support and care for older persons.

In addition, with the increasing number of core families and single-parent families, changed ideas of women about giving birth and greater numbers of women migrating to work in areas away from their homes, the number of people who can take care of the elderly at home is decreasing, especially when women are the main caregivers for the elderly in a family. A social elderly care services network to supplement family endowment is needed. 

Challenges Facing Chinese Elderly Women

The living expenses of elderly people in China now come from three resources: provisions of their children or relatives, their own income and their retirement pensions. The 2000 population census indicated that the main resource of the consumption required for China's elderly population's living still comes from family members, with 43.83 percent mainly dependent on family members' endowment. 32.99 percent mainly dependent on their own income, and only 19.61 percent mainly dependent on retirement pensions.　

Elderly women mainly depending on family members' - 60 percent of total elderly women, whose percentage is twice as high as that of elderly men, while 23.72 percent of elderly women mainly depend on their own income and 12.92 percent mainly depend on retirement pension. Both of the percentages are only half of men's, which indicates that elderly men and elderly women are very different in the main ways in which they are supported.

Of the elderly population in China, elderly women account for a higher percentage than elderly men. These elderly women were mainly born before the 1940s, and generally have a poor level of education. Only a small group has ever worked and can enjoy a retirement pension. Most of them lack economic resources and have to depend on their husbands or adult children.

In addition, since their husbands are mostly older than they are, and women's average life expectancy is longer than men's, it is estimated many of them will live alone for years after their husbands pass away. In fact, a considerable amount of elderly women in China now live alone and lack companionship. Their material and spiritual lives usually become worse when they live alone. China's underdeveloped social security system deepens their plight.

Many reasons contribute to these women's disadvantages. In addition to impairment of the national endowment security and medical security systems, problems in employment and retirement policies and China's traditional culture also count for a lot.

Because of China's traditional culture that sons are more important than daughters, elderly women received less education than elderly men on average, which has resulted in elderly women having limited social participation opportunities, lower incomes, poorer social security and also lower social status.

Besides, although elderly women's life expectancy is longer than men's, their health situations are usually worse than their counterparts. With a smaller percentage enjoying medical security, elderly women are mainly dependent on the support of their families or relatives, which places them in vulnerable situations, especially the large numbers of rural elderly women. 

What to Do?

In China's development of elderly care services, the demands of elderly women have not been met.

Sixty-four percent of elderly over 65 live with their children. The percentage is even higher in rural areas. Among elderly women, 67 percent of elderly women aged between 65 and 79 live together with their children. Of elderly women aged above 80, the percentage is 80 percent.

This indicates China's care for the elderly is mostly family-based. It is more possible elderly women live with their children.

So, when elderly care services are developed, gender should be taken into consideration when policies and rules are made. A diverse variety of services should be provided to meet the demands of elderly women.

In addition, elderly women's rights should be ensured when social policy on labor security is made, for example, establishing a policy for the same retirement age for men and women. It is suggested a flexible retirement system be added to the retirement system. Communities should encourage elderly women to become involved in the communities' public administration.

What's more, training in various vocational and social skills should be provided for the elderly. On this, we can learn from the American experience.

In the United States, many colleges and vocational schools provide further educational opportunities to the elderly, aiming to help them keep up with the rapid development of society and adapt to their new social roles. Some elderly learn new skills through study and find new working opportunities. A working environment and working life can provide the elderly with a strong sense of belonging and help them define their place in society, which is of great importance to their spiritual and mental health.

Women's Employment
　　
Women's employment, as an important sector contributing to social and economic development, is vital to the economic and social status of women and their endowment as they become old. China's government has consistently advocated gender equality and equal employment opportunities between men and women. Chinese women's labor participation rate has maintained a high level over the past 30 years. Discrimination against and marginalization of women in employment, however, are still very serious.

Since women's career lives are usually shorter than men's, and pregnancy can influence their work consistency, many employers are not willing to hire women and it is common for women lack to promotion opportunities. Women, also, seldom take part in making important decisions. Among vocational structures, tertiary industry is still the main industry in which Chinese women are employed.
　　
The national endowment insurance system is not very fair to women. The retirement age for women is younger than men's. During the hard years of the reform of state-owned enterprises at the end of last century, many enterprises encouraged or even forced many women workers to retire even earlier than the legal retirement age to reduce the number of unemployment. Women have paid the cost of the reform and yet they haven't enjoyed its achievements.

Some laid-off or unemployed women were thus forced out of the labor market because of their lack of skills or their ages, which also lowered the actual retirement age.

Women's younger retirement age, their earlier retirement, lay-offs and difficulties in reemployment have made the endowment burdens on society and families heavier.

It is suggested future policy-making related to the endowment insurance system should show care about the living quality of middle-aged and elderly women, mainly focusing on their economic security, medical issues, and human resources development. Supporting policies for women giving birth, child care, and equal employment should be further implemented.

Conclusion

The entire society should provide sufficient participatory opportunities to women, and closely connect the development of elderly women with the sustainable development of society.

Elderly women in the future will put improving their standards of living, their living environments and their self-worth as their main demands. Family-based elderly care will still be the main method of endowment while social elderly care services will be a necessary supplement.

Elderly Chinese women's economic capacity for self support and care is strengthening on the whole, but rural elderly women and poor urban elderly women are still very dependent on a family-based elderly care network and social support.