Elderly Chinese in Pacific Rim Countries

With longer life expectancy, most countries are now experiencing rapid ageing among their populations. Ethnic Chinese populations are no exception to these demographic transformations. During the twentieth century, there has been a wide dispersion of Chinese people throughout the world, as well as dramatic socio-political changes within China. These unique factors have strained traditional filial norms and necessitated a re-examination of intergenerational relationships and the roles of elderly Chinese people. This book investigates the varied adaptations of social support systems and social integration among ageing Chinese populations within a diverse set of countries in the Pacific Rim region. The book is a collection of scholarly papers addressing such topics as community care, family support, one-child families and social isolation. Each paper illustrates the importance of social support networks and social integration to the quality of life for elderly Chinese persons living in dissimilar circumstances.

Iris Chi’s major academic achievement is in the field of ageing studies. She established the Centre on Ageing at the University of Hong Kong in 1998 and is its current director. Many international and local organizations have consulted her on issues relating to the family and elderly, and she has helped governments to develop evidence-based policy and programmes for their ageing populations. Neena L. Chappell has been undertaking research on ageing and ageing-related social issues for over 25 years. Her areas include care-giving, health services, well-being of seniors, and social policy. She is currently the Director of the Centre on Aging, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. James Lubben is a professor in the Departments of Social Welfare and Urban Planning at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also the national director for the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Doctoral Fellows Program. His research focus considers cross-cultural and cross-national variations in social support networks among ageing populations.