Aging, Social Change, and Elderly Well-Being in Rural China: Insights from Mixed-Methods Village Research

and Elderly Well-Being in Rural China 2 Studies of population aging and elderly well-being are often approached from a macro-economic perspective that evaluates national capacity to meet age-based healthcare and services need. This paper is based on the premise that to evaluate better the ability of government and families to fulfill the material needs of a growing elderly population, a clear and holistic understanding of those needs is necessary. Because later-life needs and expectations are situated within the context of complex social conditions and individual lives, research from the “ground-level ” is needed to complement those macro-level studies of population aging and elderly well-being. This paper explores the experiences of growing old in China from the perspective of elders living in a southwestern rural Fujian community. Evidence from focus groups, a household survey, and in-depth interviews shows that these elders assess their present conditions and future needs in light of their biographies, many of which include long-term experiences of physical and economic hardship. Respondents ’ desires for current and future material support are rudimentary and consist mainly of food and basic clothing. Need for companionship is often met through pee