ABSTRACT
Most studies conceptualize migration among the elderly according to personal attributes, needs, and preferences (Litwak & Longino, 1987; Longino, Perzynski, & Stoller, 2002; Walters, 2002). This associates late-life migration with life course transitions such as retirement, widowhood, and the onset of functional limitations. There are also external reasons for late-life migration. In China, external forces are indeed the primary reason for the mass migration of the older rural population. Much research has examined labor migration, which is selective of younger, working-age people (Liang & Ma, 2004; Sheng, 2007). This literature includes studies on the consequences of being “left behind” for the rural elderly (Luo & Zhan, 2012; Zhang, 2009). However, few studies have considered the external factors that motivate the migration of older people themselves or the outcomes of these moves. This is a major gap in the literature considering that state policies compel the migration of many seniors in rural China.
