Experience of Chinese Recent Retirees on the Effects of Retirement on Healthy Ageing in Shenzhen and Hong Kong

Daniel W. L. Lai (), Yong-Xin Ruan, Julia Juan Wang, Emma H. S. Liu and Jia-Jia Zhou
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Daniel W. L. Lai: Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
Yong-Xin Ruan: Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Julia Juan Wang: Department of Elderly Healthcare, Shenzhen Polytechnic College, Shenzhen 518055, China
Emma H. S. Liu: Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
Jia-Jia Zhou: Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: This study examined perspectives of recent retirees in Shenzhen and Hong Kong on how retirement influenced their healthy ageing. It investigated retirees’ perceptions of healthy ageing and the ways in which healthy ageing connected with retirees’ transition into retirement. A qualitative design with narrative interviews was used to interview twelve recent retirees in Shenzhen and thirteen in Hong Kong. The participants elaborated their perspectives on healthy ageing, which covered physical, mental, social, and financial domains. Retirees in both cities identified healthy ageing as maintaining an independent life and avoiding becoming a burden on family members. This study found that retirement declined physical health (in parallel with raised awareness of health promotion), posed both negative and positive influences on mental health, and shrank peripheral social networks of retirees. In addition, regional social welfare systems have different impacts on retirees’ financial security and social participation. Retirees in Hong Kong reported higher stress of financial security and a strong desire for labor participation. Migrant–local welfare gaps were documented by retirees in Shenzhen. This study suggested that retirement planning, establishing a multi-pillar retirement-protection system, and narrowing the welfare gap between migrants and local residents should be implemented to reinforce healthy ageing.

Keywords: retirement; healthy ageing; participation; financial benefits; China; Hong Kong (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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