Perceptions, opportunities and barriers of social engagement among the Chinese older adults: a qualitative study

Understanding and promoting healthy aging are increasingly important as China transitions into an aging society. Our study examines the challenges and opportunities faced by the older adults in urban areas regarding social engagement, potentially informing the development of effective, context-sensitive interventions and policies.

The study is based on in-depth interviews with 30 participants from a Northern city in Mainland China regarding their daily lives, attitudes towards and subjective experiences of aging, and involvement in social activities. The participants were selected through purposive sampling, with the aim to maximize the diversity of perspectives and experiences. The data was subjected to thematic analysis.

The factors that facilitate social engagement among the older adults in urban China include financial security, available free time, heightened health awareness, access to organized recreational activities, community amenities, and well-developed urban infrastructure. Among the barriers to social engagement for urban Chinese older adults, the study identifies physical limitations, chronic illnesses, shrinking social networks, institutional ageism, and limited digital literacy.

The social engagement of the older adults in urban China reflects and is influenced by the wider socio-economic transformation of the country in the recent decades. Financial security afforded by the pension system has lessened the older adults’ need to engage in income-generating activities. Combined with an increase in leisure time, this represents a luxury previously unavailable to earlier generations. However, institutional ageism and low digital literacy are important constraints, particularly for the ‘oldest old’ and those with limited socio-economic status.