Abstract

Background

This study investigated the effects of authoritarian filial piety (AFP) and caregiver self-efficacy on the caregiving experience of adult children of physically impaired older adults. Socio-cultural stress and coping model was applied to test the influence of AFP on caregiver gains.

Methods

A total of 601 Chinese adult children caregivers and care-recipient dyads participated in this cross-sectional study in 2021. Four instruments were used to collect data: the 4-item Zarit Burden Interview, Positive Aspects of Caregiving Scale, Caregiver Task Inventory Scale, and Authoritarian Filial Piety Scale. All mediation and moderated mediation effects were estimated using SPSS 26.0.

Results

Caregiver self-efficacy was found to not only mediate but also help family caregivers convert their burden into positive gains. AFP moderates the association between caregiver burden and self-efficacy, as well as between caregiver burden and caregiver gains.

Conclusions

This study provides valuable insights into filial piety, elucidating AFP’s comprehensive impact on cognitive appraisals of caregiving. Culturally sensitive psychoeducational therapy, addressing AFP expectations and boosting caregiver self-efficacy, is recommended to enhance positive caregiving outcomes.

In lieu of a comprehensive adult guardianship law, voluntary guardianship notarization has become the main route to support the self-determination, autonomy, and decision-making of incapacitated older adults in China. This article is a first attempt to provide an overview of recent developments and current forms of voluntary guardianship notarization initiatives in mainland China. Besides highlighting the difficulties and challenges faced by the country, this article also outlines the types of guardians under the current legal framework, identifies the social functions of the notary office in adult guardianship socialization, and sets out the emerging initiatives to support decision making for incapacitated older adults.

Abstract

As the most aging society in East Asia, a renewed adult guardianship system for the idea of respect for self-determination, practical use of remaining abilities, and re-socialization have been practiced in Japan for 20 years. While, compared with Japan, in lieu of a comprehensive adult guardianship regime, not until 2017, voluntary guardianship notarization has become the main alternative for supported decision-making and self-determination for incapacitated adults and a tool for mitigating the social risks of the frail elderly in China. Based on secondary data and semi-structured interviews, this study is the first attempt that demonstrates a comprehensive comparison of the recent developments and current forms of adult guardianship initiatives in mainland China and Japan. Besides highlighting the difficulties and challenges faced by these two countries, this article also outlined the types of guardians under their current legal framework, identified the social functions of guardians, the notary office in adult guardianship socialization, and the emerging geriatric social work initiatives adopted. The geriatric social work practices in China and Japan’s adult guardianship point in particular toward the potential provocativeness: adult guardianship in the eastern context—a context marked by a strict family system that emphasizes the virtues of filial piety and discourages outside intervention in family matters. As the number of people with dementia is projected to reach 82 million in 2030, China and Japan’s experience potentially holds wide significance for countries that lack substantial policies and programs for caring for the frail elderly.

Abstract

Background Few empirical studies have examined how cultural values and social well-being affect depression amongst victims of elder abuse. This study thus incorporates the cultural context into a stress-and-coping model to explore how filial piety influences the dynamic associations between elder abuse, multi-dimensional social well-being, and depression among older adults in China.Methods The participants were 7,700 older adults (aged 60 years or older) enrolled in the 2018 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, a national population-based study of older adults. Moderated mediation models were applied to test the mediating effects of multidimensional social well-being (social isolation, loneliness, social network, and social participation) and the moderating effect of filial piety. All mediation and moderated mediation effects were estimated using SPSS.26.Results Different dimensions of social well-being have a partial mediating effect on the association between elder abuse and depression. Traditional attitudes towards filial piety exacerbated the effects of elder abuse on depression by increasing social isolation and loneliness, but they also reversed some negative effects by improving the social network.Conclusions Certain sociodemographic factors are associated with greater risk of depression for victims of elder abuse. Our findings suggest that filial discrepancy and stigma from elder abuse might influence not only older adults’ feelings of loneliness and social isolation but also their social participation and social network; this will further deteriorate their depressive symptoms in late life. These results should be considered when developing culturally sensitive identification, prevention, and intervention services for older adults.

Abstract

Dementia Care Networks (DCNs) play a vital role in supporting persons with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers, yet informal support mechanisms within regional DCNs remain underexplored. This study explores informal support structures in regional DCNs in southeastern Germany, identifying facilitators and barriers for effective DCNs. An exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach was used, incorporating semi-structured interviews and participant observation with 23 individuals, including social workers, physicians, nurses, volunteers, family caregivers, and PWD across two Bavarian communities. Thematic analysis and structured content analysis, framed by the Social-Ecological Model (SEM), revealed three distinct forms of informal support that enhanced resilience for caregivers, PWD, and formal service providers. Facilitators spanned multiple SEM levels: heightened dementia awareness (individual), robust volunteer traditions (interpersonal), community-level social capital(community), collaborative networking platforms (organizational), and proactive local leadership (regional). A notable unanticipated finding was a spill-over effect, wherein informal support sustained community well-being and aided former caregivers post-bereavement. Conversely, sustainability challenges stemmed from organizational fragmentation, including limited stakeholder awareness and inter-stakeholder competition. The study underscores informal support’s critical role in mitigating pressures on formal care systems, particularly in resource-constrained regions. Findings offer actionable strategies for policymakers and practitioners to optimize DCN efficacy by leveraging community resources, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and addressing systemic barriers. This research contributes empirical insights to the discourse on dementia care, emphasizing the interplay of informal and formal support systems in promoting holistic, sustainable care models. Keywords Dementia, informal support; dementia care network, integrated care, care coordination, Germany

Abstract

The contextual theory of elder abuse suggests that elder abuse emerges from interactions across individual, relational, community, and societal contexts. While prior research has established the negative effects of elder abuse on older adults’ physical and psychological well-being, its impact on their social dimensions—such as changes in social networks and the subsequent effects of those changes on their psychological well-being—remains underexplored. This study examines the relationship between elder abuse, social networks, and depressive symptoms using longitudinal data from 6,424 older adults (aged60 years and older) in the 2018 and 2020 China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey. Mediation models were employed to assess whether changes in different types of social networks (contact, emotional, and instrumental) mediated the association between elder abuse experienced in 2018 and depressive symptoms in 2020. Mediation effects were estimated using Stata 17. Findings revealed that changes in social networks mediated the relationship between elder abuse and depressive symptoms, with notable urban-rural differences. Among rural older adults, elder abuse was linked to a decline in contact and emotional networks, which in turn exacerbated depressive symptoms. Conversely, among urban older adults, elder abuse was associated with an expanded instrumental network and lower depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the critical role of social networks in shaping the psychological outcomes of elder abuse victims. The divergent patterns between urban and rural older adults suggest the need for tailored social support interventions to mitigate the psychological impact of elder abuse.

Abstract

Subjective life expectancy (SLE), an individual’s self-assessed lifespan prediction shaped by health, psychological, and sociodemographic factors, serves as a critical metric for evaluating caregiving efficacy and long-term health trajectories; however, how longitudinal caregiving trajectories dynamically shape SLE among care recipients remains underexplored. Based on data from 3,350 adults aged 60 and above across four waves (2011, 2015, 2018, and 2020) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), group-based multi-trajectory modeling (GBTM)was employed to identify distinct caregiving trajectory groups. Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was then applied to examine how these trajectory types were associated with longitudinal changes in SLE. Four types of care trajectories were identified through GBTM: Sustained-Independence, Spouse-Anchored Gradual Transfer, Multi-to-child Shift, and Multi-Source Intensification. Latent growth curve modeling revealed that all care-receiving groups had lower baseline SLE than the ‘Sustained-Independence Group’. While the ‘Sustained-Independence Group’ maintained the highest baseline SLE, the ‘Multi-to-child Shift’ and ‘Spouse-Anchored Gradual Transfer Group’ exhibited converging trajectories over time. Notably, despite its initially lowest SLE levels, the ‘Multi-Source Intensification Group’ progressively narrowed the disparity with the ‘Sustained-Independence Group’ across waves. Our findings suggest that care dependency is not inherently linked to reduced perceived future time but is instead mediated by care provision dynamics. The study highlights the need for integrated, embedded, and modular support systems to alleviate mortality anxiety associated with perceived life constraints, offering actionable insights for developing interventions to enhance care recipients’ sense of agency and future orientation.