Association of Chinese drifting elderly's intergenerational support satisfaction with expectation: A mixed method study in Shanghai

Objective In China's drifting elderly explosive growth context, in spite the importance of intergenerational support for drifting elderly is well recognised, but the association of related satisfaction with expectation is neglected. So current study was designed to explore this. Methods A mixed study with two-stage survey was undertaken involving 136 drifting elderly in Shanghai from June to September in 2019, among which 17 patriciates were involved in the in-depth interviews in stage 2. The intergenerational support in two directions, which were support drifting elderly provided and received, and in three dimensions, which were material, service and emotional, were analysed. Results The intergenerational support relationship of drifting elderly and their adult children were strengthened by the unsatisfied social support context. A stronger satisfaction with service support and material support was associated with weaker related expectation, and weaker satisfaction with emotional support was associated with a stronger related expectation. Conclusion A stronger satisfaction of drifting elderly with intergenerational material and service support can result in a weaker related expectation. While a weaker satisfaction intergenerational emotional support can result in a stronger related expectation. Thus, strengthen drifting elderly's emotional support as they expected is necessary for satisfying their old-ageing pension in urban.