The Research Of The Social Support System For The Rural Elders Living Alone From The Social Participation Perspective

In the dual background of population aging and urbanization,a large number of rural surplus labor transfer to non-agricultural industries.As a result,more and more rural families facing the disintegration-stage of family life cycle,that is living alone.On the one hand,living alone is the result of social and economic development.Part of the rural elderly who keep good material and physical condition tends to live alone for the pursuit of personal space.However,the majority of the rural elderly have to living alone even if they have a strong will to living with their adult children.In fact,because of lack of social participation,this part elderly not only facing the economic difficulties,more likely to breed alone,depression and other negative emotional experience.G village,as atypical case of rural area under urbanization and population aging,the elderly living alone is facing a series of survival problems.The study takes 17 elders who live alone in G village of Henan province as samples,by using the method of field interview,to analyze the status of their living demands and social supports,mainly including economic support,daily life care and spiritual comfort from all suppliers.And through reviewing existing relevant social security policy that covering the rural elderly living alone,then to research their social support system’s inadequacies and reasons from multi-subject perspective,such as family,government,rural community,market organization,NGO(non-government organization)and living alone elderly themselves.Considering the contradiction between the diversity of need and the lack of social support,it is difficult to solve the vulnerable elderly problem only dependent on family and government support in the past.Firstly,the government has not yet specifically social policy targeted at rural elderly living alone.Secondly,with the miniaturization of rural family structure and outflow of rural labor force,the traditional family support function is weakening.In addition,affected by the "strong government and weak society" in the past for a long time,social support suppliers like rural communities,NGO,market organization and family have not play its due role.Therefore,we should recognize the actual needs of the rural elderly living alone,to straighten the responsibility consciousness of multiple suppliers.Specifically,that is,firstly,the government should play the leading role in rebuilding the rural living alone elders’ social support system.Secondly,reviving the traditional family endowment function and advocating filial piety culture is also important.Thirdly,as the life center of rural elderly living alone,rural community should dedicate to improving the infrastructure construction and attracting professional talents.Furthermore,by releasing the vitality of market organization to providing a wealth of products and services for the rural old people who live alone.Last but not the least,it’s of great significance to strengthening both the social participation consciousness,ability and opportunity of the solitary old people.Only by this way,can the social support system improve the rural elderly living alone,and then raise the community welfare.