Caregiving Experience and Perception of Aging: Preliminary Findings from Middle-Aged Never-Married Chinese Adults in Hong Kong

Eldercare has been well-documented as a stressful experience for caregivers, negatively impacting their physical and mental well-being. Women and childless individuals are found to be more likely than their counterparts to provide care to elderly family members. The caregiving process connects the lives of caregivers, care recipients, and other members of family networks. As suggested by the life course perspective, interlinked lives can significantly impact individual life chances and experiences across various life domains. However, the impacts of elderly caregiving on caregivers’ life experiences beyond health are not well understood. The present paper aims to examine how eldercare experiences influence the perceptions of aging and old-age preparation among middle-aged never-married adults.

Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 25 Chinese never-married adults aged 40 to 59 in Hong Kong between January and May 2024. The sample achieved a good balance in terms of gender and education. Informants were asked about their relationships with family, work, and friends, as well as their elderly care experiences, meanings of aging, anticipated needs for old age, perceived social support, and plans for a secure later life.

Preliminary findings show that 15 informants have experience caring for older family members, while two work in elderly care services. Many caregivers reported unpleasant experiences, including perceived unfairness in caregiving responsibilities, conflicts with family members, and difficulties in dealing with government offices for elderly services. Those with caregiving experience tend to hold more negative views on aging and are pessimistic about old-age support from siblings. However, these experiences often lead them to adopt a proactive approach to old-age preparation. These findings suggest that elderly caregiving serves as a learning process, helping caregivers anticipate their future aging experiences.