Empty Nest Research Articles

Parental well-being when children move out: A panel study on short- and long-term effects

This article investigates the effect of adult children leaving the parental home on parental well-being. Adult children moving out is an important event in parents' lives. However, it is theoretically unclear whether parental well-being decreases or increases from children moving out. On the one hand, children moving out can relieve parents' burdens and reduce stress exposure affecting well-being positively. On the other hand, it leads to a change in parental roles, with adverse consequences for parental well-being. This study uses long-running panel data (1991–2016) from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) to investigate the relationship between child moves and parental well-being using fixed effects dummy impact functions. The findings suggest that differentiating between first and empty nest moves is important when investigating the effects of children moving out of the parental home on parental well-being, as only the first move shows a long-lasting negative effect on parental well-being. Furthermore, the effects are strongest for respondents who have work arrangements in line with traditional gender roles.

Empty nest but better off? Association between empty nest status and cognitive function among older adults with chronic diseases in rural China

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of cognitive impairment poses substantial risks to older adults, particularly those with chronic diseases. While existing studies have examined the connection between the empty nest phenomenon and cognitive function, few have attempted to consider endogeneity issues within this relationship, with limited attention given to older adults with chronic diseases. This study investigates the impact of empty nest status on cognitive function among rural Chinese older adults with chronic diseases and explores the possible mechanisms underlying this effect.MethodsA cross-sectional study involved 365 older adults aged 60 or above with chronic diseases in rural areas of Shaanxi province, northwest China. Cognitive function was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Multiple regression models and the instrumental variable (IV) method were employed to examine the association between empty nest and cognitive function.ResultsAmong the 365 older adults aged 60 or above with chronic diseases, 43% experienced cognitive impairment. Results from both multiple regression and IV analyses consistently demonstrate a significant association between empty nest status and higher cognitive function scores (β = 1.757, p = 0.007; β = 3.682, p = 0.034, respectively). Mechanism analysis further supports that the positive association may arise from empty nesters receiving more social support from children and friends, and perceiving loneliness experiences as inadequate. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the association between empty nest status and cognitive function is more pronounced among male adults with chronic diseases.ConclusionsThis study challenges the notion that empty nest status is a risk factor for cognitive decline in older adults with chronic diseases in rural China. The positive impact is attributed to the robust social relationships of empty nesters, encompassing sustained support from their social network, and the absence of an increase in loneliness. Therefore, future interventions aimed at improving cognitive function in older adults may benefit from promoting the development of social relationships.

How does the kitchen feel in an empty nest? Mapping emotions in Polish kitchens

This paper addresses the spatial dimension of the empty nest experience. The assumption that the departure of adult children from home leaves the nest empty is challenged in this study. We delve into the lived experiences of parents left behind to reconstruct their encounters with kitchen space in a post-parental home. Drawing upon evidence from participant-generated data (138 emotion maps) and 69 map-elicited interviews conducted in the administrative provinces of Pomorze and Wielkopolska in Poland, we identify the kitchen as a key place where family relations are practised. The analysis of the material allowed us to reconstruct the relationship between ‘empty nest’ kitchen and emotions, as seen by the participants. Four themes that have emerged: bonds, memory, social roles and territorial claims account for the relationship between individuals and the spatial dynamics they navigate during this significant life transition. Through an exploration of parents’ subjective experiences, we seek to provide a deeper understanding of how kitchen space is perceived and engaged with within the context of the empty nest.

Análisis personalista de la relación paterno-materno-filial II: después del nacimiento del hijo

This text, a continuation of Personalist Analysis of the Father-Mother-Child Relationship I, seeks to clarify the anthropological structure of the father-mother-child relationship in light of the appropriate response to the person in the family environment, analyzing the process of formation of the child's identity from birth, and the formation of the paternal and maternal self. To do so, special consideration is given to the self-awareness, self-transcendence and self-control of the donation of each of the members of the relationship in its unfolding throughout three stages in particular: from the birth of the child to eighteen months, from eighteen months to three years, and the child's adolescence, also reflecting on the state of the relationship in the empty nest stage. Finally, social consequences are drawn from the promotion of this type of family structure according to its acceptance or rejection, as a structure that enables the child to give, to commit and to take responsibility.

Description of a Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) incubating an empty nest and review of this breeding anomaly in birds

Description of a Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) incubating an empty nest and review of this breeding anomaly in birds

Prevalence and associated factors of geriatric depression among institutionalised senior citizens: a cross-sectional study

Background: Ageing is an inevitable process. As a result of empty nest syndrome, the senior citizens of Kerala, are forced for institutionalization. Prevalence of mental morbidity among institutionalized senior citizens outnumbers those living in families. Depression is one of the most common psychiatric morbidities among senior citizens. The present study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with geriatric depression among institutionalized senior citizens of Ernakulam district. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted over a period of 3 months among 238 institutionalised senior citizens aged 60 years and above using geriatric depression scale- short form (GDS-SF). Data was entered and analysed using SPSS. Results: Among participants, 23.11% reported mild depression, 4.20% had moderate and 7.14% had severe depression. Chi-square test was used to study the association of various factors with geriatric depression. Previous employment status, source of income, frequency of visit by relatives, contact with relatives through phone, duration of leisure time activities and sleep quality showed a statistically significant association. Conclusions: The study highlights the need for regular screening activities. Further research is necessary on identification of modifiable risk factors.

Age Melancholy of Older Mizrahi Women Residing in Tel Aviv as a Social Loss: Exploring Intersections of Health and Social Support in an Ethnographic Study.

Inspired by Freud's "Mourning and Melancholia" and expanding upon his notions within the social context, this article proposes an innovative concept called "age melancholy" to describe the multifaceted elements of social loss experienced by empty nest older adults. While most studies emphasize a psychological-individualist approach to this phenomenon, age melancholy frames older age as a process marked by a loss of social engagements. The findings are grounded in anthropological fieldwork conducted from 2010 to 2013 in a lower-income neighborhood of Tel Aviv. They are based on deductive comprehension of social melancholy, combined with inductive qualitative analyses of 29 meetings within a designated narrative group of older Mizrahi women-Jewish immigrants from Islamic countries. The results reveal that empty nest older adults perceive their loneliness, fragile health, and approaching death as interrelated aspects of social detachment, leading to melancholy. However, whereas their emotional experiences are tainted by age melancholy, it is temporal and contextual and may be mitigated through social support.

Analysis of the Current Situation and Influencing Factors of the Satisfaction of the Elderly Living in Social Welfare Institutions in Lhasa City

Elderly is an important livelihood issue, and the aging of China is becoming more and more serious, accompanied by the miniaturization of family structure and empty nest. In order to cope with these problems, the development of institutionalized elderly care has been urgent. At present, China's nursing homes introduced public-private partnership, medical care, embedded and other pension models, but by geography, natural environment and historical development and other factors, the level of nursing homes around the world to start a different level of nursing service satisfaction is one of the important indicators to measure its level. In this paper, we conducted a research on Lhasa Social Welfare Institutions that practiced the public-private partnership and medical-nursing integration model, and the results showed that their satisfaction score was 81.9%, which was high. Multiple linear regression analysis found that gender, age, and education level significantly affect satisfaction. This paper reveals the operation of nursing homes in border ethnic areas, adds information to related studies, and provides suggestions for the development of nursing homes and the supply-side reform of nursing services.

Empty nest syndrome: A concept analysis.

Empty nest syndrome (ENS) is parents' experience to their children leaving home. Considering the lack of a clear definition of this concept and its context-based nature, this study aimed to define the ENS concept. A three-phase concept analysis using a hybrid model was used. In the theoretical (first) phase, a literature review was conducted using Scopus, WOS, PubMed, ProQuest, Irandoc, Research.idml, Magiran, and SID, with the search terms "empty nest syndrome," "aged," and "middle-aged," and their synonyms, with no time and language restrictions until the end of 2021. After the screening, 29 relevant articles entered the study. According to the findings of the first phase, the fieldwork (second) phase was directed using the qualitative content analysis approach, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine elderly and middle-aged individuals with an open-ended question. Results from both were included in the final (third) phase. The theoretical phase created an operational definition to guide the fieldwork phase. The fieldwork phase resulted in the emergence of six themes. The final analysis phase formulated a comprehensive definition of this concept: "ENS is a subjective phenomenon that occurs as a result of parents' reaction to their children leaving home." This transition from crisis to self-regaining includes the stages of mourning or resistance reaction, feelings of loss or passive behaviors, sublimation or impulsive behaviors, adaptation, and relief. It initiates with the last child's departure and continues until two years. Exploration of the concept of ENS can be the basis for designing a model or theoretical framework, devising measurement instruments for the concept and its consequences, and developing programs to increase the healthcare team's awareness to identify the problem and conduct appropriate preventive or therapeutic measures.

Analysis of the Construction of Rural Home-Based Elderly Care Service System

As my country's aging problem worsens, more and more attention is being paid to the construction of elderly care services in rural areas. This article aims to investigate the current status, problems, and challenges of rural home care services through the analysis of research literature. In the research, it was determined that the number of elderly people living alone in empty nests in rural areas increases every year, and problems such as inadequate elderly care services, low use of community elderly care facilities, and inadequate medical services are becoming more common. its importance is increasing. The current rural home care system has many drawbacks and disadvantages. It is recommended to fulfill the federal government's responsibility for community elderly care services, establish urban elderly care services, improve community elderly care services, and home care of the elderly, and participate in city and community care services for the elderly. Integration of medical and nursing care in rural areas.

Performance Landscape: The Relationship between Technology and Society under the Influence of Social Media

In the era of big data, the massive public opinion data on social media has challenged the traditional top-down framework analysis methods. In 2022, Fudan University published the core teaching material of network and new media communication, Computational Public Opinion in the Era of Big Data: Theories, Methods and Cases. In addition to analyzing the challenges faced by the traditional framework theory, the authors Zhou Baohua and Liang Hai also introduce how to use network analysis methods to cope with the transformation of social relations increased by technological progress. The data of CNNIC's 52nd report revealed that China has driven the whole people to go online, and social media is an important carrier for empty-nest youth to fight against weak localization. Therefore, how empty-nest youth use social media to become citizens, localization and family has become a landscape worthy of attention. By using the data of "Investigation on the use of social media by empty Nest Youth" from 2021 to 2023, this paper focuses on the degree of weak localization resistance of social networks and finds that the short video content produced is not only determined by technology or social factors, but a new communication scene jointly constructed by technology and society. In view of the "aphasia" characteristic of the vulnerable groups using social media in the previous research on rural communication, this paper puts forward corresponding countermeasures and suggestions from three perspectives: ideological and political education, intergenerational support and digital inclusion.

Effects of family life cycle events on individual Body Mass Index trajectories: Evidence from China.

Body mass index (BMI) is an important predictor of one's physiological health. China is a family-centric nation compared to Western societies and has already entered an aged society. Exploring the characteristics and patterns of BMI changes during household events in China provides critical insights into the biological and social determinants of health, which can help enhance the scientific validity of health promotion measures and contribute to the realization of healthy aging goals in China. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1993 to 2015, this article utilizes two-level growth curve models with piecewise spline specifications for age to examine the effects of family life cycle events on BMI trajectories for age groups and gender differences. Compared to continuing status, experiencing transition in an individual's family life cycle could lead to more fluctuating variations in their BMI trajectories, generally, there is a faster increase in BMI during youth and a faster decline during old age. As for gender heterogeneity, males are more affected by divorce, widowhood, and empty nest, whereas females' BMI changes are influenced by entering/maintaining marriage and parenthood. A long-term perspective has revealed the significance of family events on BMI throughout the life course. Future research should focus on the nutrition and health of specific populations, especially elderly individuals in vulnerable groups.

Pengaruh Senam Tai Chi terhadap Psychological Wellbeing Lansia di Posyandu Sugih Waras, Desa Ngargorejo, Kecamatan Ngemplak, Boyolali

Abstract Background: Elderly people experience aging which causes changes, especially psychological, experiencing empty nest syndrome, anxiety disorders, depression, loneliness, and other psychological disorders which can affect psychological well-being. Tai Chi is an exercise that can have a positive effect on psychological well-being in sufferers of various chronic diseases, can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve quality of life. Objectives: This study aims to determine the effect of Tai Chi exercise on the psychological well-being of elderly people at Sugih Waras Integrated Health Service Post, Ngargorejo Village, Ngemplak District, Boyolali. Methods: This research is a Pre-Experimental type of quantitative research with a one group pretest-posttest design and purposive sampling technique. Psychological well-being was measured using the Indonesian version of the 18-item Ryff Psychological Well-being Scale (RPWB). Data analysis used SPSS version 25. Results: Respondents were dominated by young elderly (73.9%), female (95.7%), housewives (91.3%), individuals with no schooling/not yet finished elementary school (47.8%), widows (69.6%), and individuals living with family (69.6%). The average pre-test and post-test RPWB scores increased by 2.53. The results of the paired sample t-test hypothesis test showed a p-value of 0.000 which is less than 0.05, indicating an influence of Tai Chi exercise on the psychological well-being of the elderly at Sugih Waras Integrated Health Service Post, Ngargorejo Village, Ngemplak District, Boyolali. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise has an effect on the psychological well-being of the elderly at Sugih Waras Integrated Health Service Post, Ngargorejo Village, Ngemplak District, Boyolali. Keywords : Tai Chi, Psychological Well-being, Elderly

The Lived Experiences of Iranian Older Adults With Empty Nest Syndrome: A Phenomenological Study

The Lived Experiences of Iranian Older Adults With Empty Nest Syndrome: A Phenomenological Study

Asian koel rapidly locates host breeding in novel nest sites.

Avian brood parasites depend upon locating host nests to lay their eggs. However, how brood parasites locate host nests and select the nests for parasitism remains poorly studied. Here, we examined how a non-evicting brood parasite, the Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) were able to locate host nests in locally novel nest sites. We provided a set of novel nest sites (i.e., nestboxes, n = 100) to the common myna (Acridotheres tristis), a regular host of the Asian koel, at a field site in Central Bangladesh. We found that common myna quickly utilized the novel breeding sites (n = 99 nests across 59 boxes) and similarly, 21.2% of these nests were parasitized by the Asian koel. Unsurprisingly, none of the inactive nest boxes were parasitized, neither were empty nests of common myna (i.e., either predated or fledged clutches, thus lack of parental activity, n = 83). Our results provide an experimental demonstration of the Asian koel ability to rapidly locate nests in locally novel nest sites, potentially facilitated by close monitoring of host activity and behavior around the nest site. However, the underlying mechanisms for this rapid adjustment to novel nest sites remain unresolved.

Volunteer Participation and Loneliness in the Elderly: An Empirical Study Based on CHARLS 2018

Based on the empirical research data collected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) in 2018, this study examines the specific impacts of two types of volunteering on loneliness among elderly individuals in China. Additionally, it investigates various demographic, socioeconomic, physical health, and family intergenerational support factors that may influence the relationship between these variables. The findings of this investigation demonstrate that both group-driven volunteer service and individual active volunteer service significantly contribute to reducing loneliness among older adults. However, there exist four distinct demographic disparities: variations in age, differences in empty nest situations, disparities based on gender, and discrepancies in economic status. Consequently, to address the issue of elderly loneliness effectively, this study primarily proposes four key approaches: guiding the elderly towards embracing social participation as a concept; emphasizing the development of community social capital; enhancing volunteer service design; and increasing investment in volunteer services for the elderly. These measures aim to foster an inclusive environment that encourages active engagement among older adults while providing them with convenient avenues to participate in volunteer activities. This study empirically investigates the evolution of social engagement among elderly individuals in China, offering novel research perspectives on public involvement in addressing the challenges associated with elderly care services.

The Impact of Self-Acceptance and Emotional Regulation on the Experience of Empty Nest Syndrome in the Older Adult

One of the crisis phases in families entering the middle age phase is the feeling of losing their role in raising children and feeling empty because the children no longer live in the same house. This term is known as empty nest syndrome. Self-acceptance and emotional regulation play an essential role in the impact of empty nest syndrome experienced by older adults. This research aims to prove the further impact of self-acceptance and emotional regulation on the experience of empty nest syndrome in older adults. The self-acceptance scale, emotional regulation scale, and empty nest syndrome scale were adapted by the author. The research respondents were 30 older people at the Siti Anna Bangka Belitung Retirement Home. The sampling technique uses purposive sampling. From the results of multiple linear regression analysis, it is known that self-acceptance and emotional regulation are related to empty nest syndrome, and simultaneously, self-acceptance, emotional regulation, and empty nest syndrome are significantly associated with each other.

Empty Nest Syndrome: You Might Be Next!!

The empty nest syndrome (ENS) has been a term used in psychology to denote the psychological symptoms that arise when the youngest child leaves the family for work or further studies causing a void in the family leaving the aged parents behind termed as the empty nest. There have been many theories posited to explain the empty nest and multiple view points exist regarding the phenomenon. This phenomenon was described in the 1940s and 1950s and the present review evaluates the existing literature on the ENS in the light of modern era conceptions of human development. The advent of neurobiology and better understanding of menopause and the hormonal changes that ensue have resulted in us having a greater insight into this phenomenon. There are many changes that a couple undergoes in mid life and these all contribute to the ENS in some way or another. Marital and family factors as well as the parent child relationship play a vital role in adjustment to the empty nest situation. This review also tries to explain the validity of a concept like ENS in the modern digital era and in the light of modern relationships and their effect on the mind of the people involved.

Study on the Mental Care of Rural Empty Nest Elderly under New Urbanization

Today, with the continuous acceleration of new urbanization, the number of rural empty nests is also increasing year by year. The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposes to improve the basic old-age insurance for urban and rural residents, improve the elderly care system, and ensure that the elderly have a place to take care of. Under the development of this era, it is necessary to protect rural empty nest elderly this group, but we not only pay attention to their material guarantee, but also notice their spiritual care. For the spiritual care of rural empty nest elderly, we should analyse their spiritual demands monolithically, and build a three-dimensional comfort system that is "government-led, fund investment, social worker intervention, self-regulation, and neighbourhood assistance" to solve their spiritual demands.

Social participation and health in middle-aged and older empty nesters: A study on gender differences

BackgroundThe growing population of middle-aged and older empty nesters is characterized by poorer health, and social participation (SP) has been shown to improve this situation. However, few studies have investigated specific performance and gender differences between SP and health. The present study aims to address these issues. MethodsA total of 1207 middle-aged and older empty nesters over 45 years old were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2018). Random-effects analyses were used to explore the association between changes in SP (diversity, frequency, type) and changes in health status. Health status include physical health, mental health, self-reported health (SRH). ResultsFemale middle-aged and olderly empty nesters have significantly poorer health and participate in SP more frequently. The higher the diversity of SP, the better the health of middle-aged and olderly empty nesters, while higher frequency is beneficial to SRH. Female's participation in sports and Internet had better mental health and SRH, and mahjong helped female's mental health. Clubs are helpful for male's SRH. ConclusionsThis study reveals the specifics of the association between SP and health status of middle-aged and older empty nesters. Therefore, all aspects of SP and gender differences should be taken into account when predicting and improving the health status. Help the government to better formulate policies to better cope with the increasing empty nest phenomenon and build a harmonious and stable society.