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Living Arrangements of the Elderly in China: Evidence from CHARLS

Author

Listed:
  • Lei, Xiaoyan

    (Peking University)

  • Strauss, John

    (University of Southern California)

  • Tian, Meng

    (Peking University)

  • Zhao, Yaohui

    (Peking University)

Abstract

Recent increases in Chinese elderly living alone or only with a spouse has raised concerns about elderly support, especially when public support is inadequate. However, using rich information from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we find that the increasing trend in living alone is accompanied with a rise in living close to each other. This type of living arrangement solves the conflicts between privacy/independence and family support. This is confirmed in further investigation: children living close by visit their parents more frequently. We also find that children who live far away provide a larger amount of net transfers to their parents, a result consistent with responsibility sharing among siblings. Having more children is associated with living with a child or having a child nearby, while investing more in a child's schooling is associated with greater net transfers to parents.

Suggested Citation

  • Lei, Xiaoyan & Strauss, John & Tian, Meng & Zhao, Yaohui, 2011. "Living Arrangements of the Elderly in China: Evidence from CHARLS," IZA Discussion Papers 6249, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6249
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ren Mu & Yang Du, 2017. "Pension Coverage for Parents and Educational Investment in Children: Evidence from Urban China," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 31(2), pages 483-503.
    2. Qi Xu & Jinshui Wang & Jingjing Qi, 2019. "Intergenerational coresidence and subjective well-being of older adults in China: The moderating effect of living arrangement preference and intergenerational contacts," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 41(48), pages 1347-1372.
    3. Yiqing Gan & Eric Fong, 2020. "Living separately but living close: Coresidence of adult children and parents in urban China," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(12), pages 315-328.
    4. Bloom, David E. & Luca, Dara Lee, 2016. "The Global Demography of Aging: Facts, Explanations, Future," IZA Discussion Papers 10163, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Bradley, Elizabeth & Chen, Xi & Tang, Gaojie, 2020. "Social security expansion and neighborhood cohesion: Evidence from community-living older adults in China," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    6. Yuhui Ruan & Demi Zhu, 2021. "Association of Chinese drifting elderly's intergenerational support satisfaction with expectation: A mixed method study in Shanghai," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(1), pages 173-188, January.
    7. Lei, Xiaoyan & Giles, John & Hu, Yuqing & Park, Albert & Strauss, John & Zhao, Yaohui, 2012. "Patterns and correlates of intergenerational non-time transfers : evidence from CHARLS," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6076, The World Bank.
    8. Yi Chen & Hanming Fang, 2018. "The Long-Term Consequences of Having Fewer Children in Old Age: Evidence from China’s “Later, Longer, Fewer” Campaign," NBER Working Papers 25041, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Lingguo Cheng & Hong Liu & Ye Zhang & Zhong Zhao, 2018. "The heterogeneous impact of pension income on elderly living arrangements: evidence from China’s new rural pension scheme," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 31(1), pages 155-192, January.
    10. Cheng, Lingguo & Liu, Hong & Zhang, Ye & Zhao, Zhong, 2018. "The health implications of social pensions: Evidence from China's new rural pension scheme," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 53-77.
    11. Connelly, Rachel & Maurer-Fazio, Margaret, 2016. "Left behind, at-risk, and vulnerable elders in rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 140-153.
    12. Wang, Le, 2013. "Estimating returns to education when the IV sample is selective," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 74-85.
    13. Bloom, D.E. & Luca, D.L., 2016. "The Global Demography of Aging," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 3-56, Elsevier.
    14. Shing-Yi Wang, 2019. "The Labor Supply Consequences of Having a Boy in China," NBER Working Papers 26185, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Hui Li & Chengyun Duan & Miao David Chunyu, 2021. "A Study of the Factors Influencing the Residential Preferences of the Elderly in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-20, May.
    16. Connelly, Rachel & Iannotti, Michael & Maurer-Fazio, Margaret & Zhang, Dandan, 2014. "Coresidency, Ethnicity, and Happiness of China's Rural Elders," IZA Discussion Papers 8194, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Shanwen Zhu & Man Li & Renyao Zhong & Peter C. Coyte, 2019. "The Effects of Co-Residence on the Subjective Well-Being of Older Chinese Parents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-17, April.
    18. Sen Ma & Fangqi Wen, 2016. "Who Coresides With Parents? An Analysis Based on Sibling Comparative Advantage," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(3), pages 623-647, June.
    19. Wu, Qi & Gao, Xin, 2020. "The Effects of Parental Retirement on Adult Children’s Labor Supply: Evidence From China," MPRA Paper 103914, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Yang, Juan & SICULAR, Terry & LAI, Desheng, 2014. "The changing determinants of high school attainment in rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 551-566.
    21. Connelly, Rachel & Maurer-Fazio, Margaret, 2015. "Left Behind, At Risk, and Vulnerable Elders in Rural China: What the RUMIC Data Reveal about the Extent, Causes, and Consequences of Being Left Behind," IZA Discussion Papers 9213, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    22. Ke Shen & Feinian Chen & Hangqing Ruan, 2021. "The mixed blessing of living together or close by: Parent–child relationship quality and life satisfaction of older adults in China," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(24), pages 563-594.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    living arrangement; coresidence; proximity of children; CHARLS;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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