A Study of Residential Condition and Satisfaction of the Elderly in China

Abstract

This article investigates the current housing reality and subjective appraisal of the elderly in China by presenting the latest empirical evidence. Based on a literature review, survey data of September 2009 were analyzed, which included 692 Chinese households with a focus on their elderly members. Major findings were the following: (1) affordability was an outstanding issue, with 56.6% of the elderly respondents feeling overburdened by housing costs; (2) facilities in the homes were less of an issue than their community facilities, which were inadequate especially for the handicapped; (3) the elderly respondents as a whole seemed to enjoy their housing property, though significant differences in homeownership and residential satisfaction were found among them; (4) differences were also found among the elderly in terms of access to healthcare (including emergency help), transportation, and housing environment; and (5) residential satisfaction of the elderly were related to their occupational status before retirement, income, health, distance to healthcare facilities, living arrangements, homeownership, housing conditions, social contacts/visits, and gender. Implications of the findings are discussed for research and policy considerations.