Current Attitudes of Supporting Older Parents in Asia: Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan

(Aims)
This paper presents the attitudes change for supporting older parents according to social changes. In Asian countries, it has been said that elderly people are taken care by their families and it is the Asian-cultural tradition. Therefore, this research investigates attitudes change in accordance with social changes such as pensions, social services, guaranteed incomes, etc.

(Methods)

Since caregiving has been heavily considered as women’ role, surveys were conducted on female university students in Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo from 2011 to 2013. Around 200 questionnaires were gathered in each area.

(Questions)

1. To investigate changing attitudes toward supporting older parents in each countries.
2. To find out female caregiving roles by generations and countries.
3. To find out interrelations between social changes and attitude changes.

(Findings)

Similarities 1. As for Korean and Japanese students, both female students wish to live with their own parents but not husband’s parents. 2. They are willing to live nearby their own parent’s houses but not those of husband’s. 3.Mothers wish to live with and have supports by daughters in later years.

Differences 1. The majority of Korean mothers wishes to have financial support and the majority of Japanese mothers wishes nothing. 2. Both mothers expect supports by daughters more than sons. 3. Employing caregivers at home are not an option in Japan but in Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. 4. The majority of grandparents are likely to live with children in Malaysia, Singapore even in Hong Kong but not in Japan and Korea. 5. Attitudes of supporting older parents are highly related to social policies and the financial independency of elderly people.