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Everyday Life Construction, Outdoor Activity and Health Practice among Urban Empty Nesters and Their Companion Dogs in Guangzhou, China

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  • Xianfei Chen

    (School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China)

  • Hong Zhu

    (School of Geographical Sciences, Guangzhou University, Higher Education Mega Centre, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Duo Yin

    (School of Geographical Sciences, Guangzhou University, Higher Education Mega Centre, Guangzhou 510006, China)

Abstract

In this paper, we argue that research on the everyday life of older people needs to move beyond anthropocentrism because non-human support contributes to the diversity of their social networks. We elaborate this argument by examining how companion dogs are involved in the urban empty-nest family in Guangzhou (an aging and highly urbanized city in China), the building of multispecies kinships by urban empty nesters in later life and improving the health of urban empty nesters. Participatory observations and 20 in-depth interviews were combined to assess the association between dog ownership and the reconstruction of later life. Specifically, we focus on the co-disciplined pursuit of outdoor activities by urban empty nesters and their companion dogs; this pursuit represents a shared leisure practice that maintains multispecies kinship and is a creative way for older individuals to improve their happiness and physical functioning. This paper provides a relational and reflective understanding of the interaction between the urban empty nesters and companion dogs and the implications of this interaction in the urban leisure space.

Suggested Citation

  • Xianfei Chen & Hong Zhu & Duo Yin, 2020. "Everyday Life Construction, Outdoor Activity and Health Practice among Urban Empty Nesters and Their Companion Dogs in Guangzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:11:p:4091-:d:368751
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ye Chang & Xiaofan Guo & Liang Guo & Zhao Li & Hongmei Yang & Shasha Yu & Guozhe Sun & Yingxian Sun, 2016. "Comprehensive Comparison between Empty Nest and Non-Empty Nest Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study among Rural Populations in Northeast China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Carri Westgarth & Robert M. Christley & Garry Marvin & Elizabeth Perkins, 2017. "I Walk My Dog Because It Makes Me Happy: A Qualitative Study to Understand Why Dogs Motivate Walking and Improved Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Costa, Dora L, 1997. "Displacing the Family: Union Army Pensions and Elderly Living Arrangements," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(6), pages 1269-1292, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zekun Zhou & Duo Yin & Quan Gao, 2020. "Sense of Presence and Subjective Well-Being in Online Pet Watching: The Moderation Role of Loneliness and Perceived Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Zhang, Shimin & Wang, Qiong & Wang, Xiyuan & Qi, Kaili & Zhou, Yanxin & Zhou, Chengchao, 2022. "Pet ownership and cognitive frailty among Chinese rural older adults who experienced a social loss: Is there a sex difference?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).

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