The global increase in life expectancy has normalised a 'young-old' cohort providing care for their 'old-old' parents. This caregiving role shapes age identity through divergent pathways: while the associated physical and psychological burdens may accelerate a subjective sense of frailty and decline, the experience can also foster a sense of purpose and generativity, potentially reinforcing a more youthful self-concept. This study aims to examine the influence of caregiving on older carers’ age identity in the Chinese context, with a specific focus on the moderating role of Filial Piety Beliefs (FPB) in shaping this relationship. We adopted a sample of 9,686 Chinese adults aged 60+ (caregivers = 612) from the 2020 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS). The linear regression model showed that caregivers reported a more positive age identity than non-caregivers. However, stronger FPB attenuated, and ultimately reversed, this advantage. Such results were replicated in the sensitivity analysis where we generated a balanced sample of 612 caregivers and 612 comparable non-caregivers using propensity score matching (PSM). Findings suggest that caregiving may have a rejuvenating effect in later life, but high FPB may neutralize this benefit by introducing a sense of moral imperative on the act of caring for older parents. Policies and practices can be enhanced to recognise the contributing roles of older caregivers and reduce their perceived caregiving burden and moral stress.

Authors:
Jia Li, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Wenhan Xu, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. LI Jia (Jessica) is an Assistant Professor of the Department of Social Work at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

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