EmptyNestersinChina中国“空巢”现象.docVIP

Empty Nesters in China With the rapid growth in the economy and the influential status in the world, China with a flourishing future has become the envy of many countries. Thirty years or more have witnessed the dazzling changes the Open-up Policy has brought about. However, obviously, some problems have occurred during the process of modernization. Due to the acceleration of an aging population and the transience of it, the problem of empty nesters has now come into the spotlight. As a new breed of generation, “empty nesters”, perhaps a term unfamiliar to many people, refers to senior citizens who are left at home alone by their children. The number of it explodes in accordance with the growth of senior citizens’ population. According to a survey, the population of the elderly is increasing at the rate of 3.28% every year in China, which is five times greater than the total growth. By the year of 2030, there will have been more than 200 million empty nesters in China, which is definitely a major concern over our country. On the other hand, although leading a relatively abundant life, most of them are sometimes cornered in terms of the present situation. The absence of care from their children, the lack of policy security, the wanting in social help and so forth make the autumn of their lives undesirable. Having seen the serious situation they are in, now let’s take the problem into perspective and think about it deeply. Enjoying the better-improved living conditions, the elderly Chinese are no longer forced by their health problems and financial pressure to live with their children. After devoting much of their lifetime to bringing up their children, they feel free to remain independent, while greater social diversity means their choice of the unprecedented lifestyle is respected. Furthermore, for the benefit of their own children, some of them tend to have their own lives in order not to become a burden. Such a deed helps prevent any conflicts in values, lifestyle