Work

Is Internal Migration Bad for Grandparents’ Subjective Successful Aging?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: While aging and migration are significant global demographic trends, knowledge is scarce about subjective successful aging (SSA) among older adults who relocate later in life to provide grandchild care. This study addresses this issue by comparing SSA between migrant and local grandparents in Mainland China. Based on the role strain theory, this study examined whether migrant grandparents were confronted with double strains and whether physical functioning had a buffering effect on SSA. We surveyed 543 local and migrant grandparents (mean age 62.87 ± 5.17, 59% females) in four megacities in China. After controlling covariates, we found a significant three-way interaction effect among internal migration, intensity of grandchild care and perceived difficulty in physical functioning (DPF) on SSA (95% CI [0.04, 0.27], R2 = 24.1%). When grandparents provided intensive care, the association between internal migration and SSA was more negative at a higher level of DPF (95% CI [−2.18, −0.87]), as compared to that at a lower level of DPF (95% CI [−1.43, −0.48]). Findings suggest a buffering effect of good physical functioning on attenuating the double strains pertaining to internal migration and intensive grandchild care. This calls for the need to maintain or enhance the physical functioning of migrant grandparents.

Source: Activities Adaptation & Aging

DOI: 10.1080/01924788.2025.2492979