Senior Citizen Homes In China
The New York Times discusses the growth of retirement facilities in China (link via TPD's Facebook feed), though notes with a caveat that these remain viable options only for the upper class living in or near major cities.
Over the years I've had several conversations with Chinese friends in which the subject of retirement homes comes up. Often, my friends find the idea of putting grandma or grandpa in a home to be an abhorrent violation of filial duty. One told me that her parents wouldn't allow her to date a foreigner because they were worried that the foreigner would, if married to the girl, refuse to look after her dear old parents.
It usually surprises these friends to hear that my grandparents lived with me, at least part of the year, for much of my childhood. In fact, the experience of living with grandparents and other relatives isn't all that alien to a lot of Americans, particularly in generations past.
Placing elderly relatives in retirement homes derives not from a ruthless cultural norm, but more from a value that the Chinese well recognize: pragmatism. A lot of senior citizens have medical issues that require more attention than a working adult may be able to provide. Being in a home with full-time professional care, surrounded by peers, is often a more appealing lifestyle for a senior, particularly a widow or widower.
As Chinese people grow wealthier, I would guess that more of them will reach similar conclusions to their American- or Western- counterparts.
As a corollary issue, I find it interesting how matters assumed to be largely or entirely cultural are often mostly socio-economic in nature. I do believe that the Chinese have a stronger cultural norm of involving extended family members in day-to-day affairs than do Westerners, though not to the extent typically assumed. Plus, urbanization and affluence cause lifestyle changes that override cultural considerations.
What we often believe is cultural, and thus impenetrable, is actually far more fluid and malleable that we realize.
April 24th, 2009 - 19:24
Excellent post!
I feel like its a ‘chicken and the egg’ kind of situation. It’s not clear (nor determinable?) whether the socio-economic situation produces these elements of culture or the other way around. (although, more than likely it’s a just a big mess of interaction I suppose…)