Abstract:? Empty nesters? Generally refers to middle-aged and elderly couples after their children leave home. By 2050, the number of elderly people aged 80 and above will reach 654.38+08 billion, the number of childless elderly people will reach 79 million, the number of disabled elderly people will reach 654.38+00 billion, and the elderly living alone and empty nesters will account for more than 54%. Empty nesters? This problem deserves more attention. When children leave home for study, work, marriage and other reasons, they stay alone? Empty nest? The psychological disorder of middle-aged and elderly couples is called empty nest syndrome. Old people with empty nest syndrome are often lonely, depressed, anxious, have decreased appetite and sleep, and gradually develop into a series of serious problems such as depression because their children are not around for a long time and there is no one to take care of and communicate with them. Exploring the psychological problems of empty nesters, finding solutions, making more people understand and pay attention to empty nesters, and inheriting the spirit of filial piety are the embodiment of the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, which is conducive to forming a civilized and harmonious social environment and interpersonal relationships and promoting the harmonious and stable development of society.
Keywords: empty nesters are lonely and have psychological problems
With the development of economy, China has entered the social transition period of industrialization and urbanization, the process of socialization is accelerating, the rural population is migrating to and leaving the city on a large scale, the aging process is accelerating and the problem of providing for the aged is becoming increasingly prominent. Empty-nest families refer to those families who have no children or have children, but their children grow up and set up a new door, or for various reasons (work, study, going out to work, etc.). ), an elderly couple or an old man lives alone [1].
1. Reasons for the increase of empty nest elderly families
1. 1 Reasons for population aging
At present, China is the country with the largest elderly population in the world and one of the countries with the fastest aging population. According to United Nations statistics, by the middle of this century, there will be nearly 500 million people over 60 in China, which will exceed the total population of the United States. By the end of 20 14, the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the elderly over 60 accounted for 15.5% of China's total population, reaching 2120,000. It is predicted that by 2050, the world's elderly population will reach 2.02 billion, of which China's elderly population will reach 480 million, accounting for almost a quarter of the global elderly population. With the rapid development of China's aging, accompanied by the rapid advancement of aging. According to the data, at present, the population over 80 years old in China is close to 24 million, accounting for 1 1% of the whole elderly population. The explosive growth of the elderly population is the fundamental reason for the increase of empty nesters.
1.2 Social reasons lead to empty nesters.
1.2. 1 due to the needs of reform and opening up and urban basic economic construction, the cultivated land occupied by enterprises is decreasing, and the number of requisitioned and unemployed people is increasing. Compared with the income of migrant workers, the gap is obvious. Migrant workers are reluctant to return home because of their high wages and great pressure to support the elderly and children. Moreover, parents are not willing to influence their children's future, or contain their children, preferring to live in their hometown and become empty nesters.
1.2.2 With the development of social economy, the continuous improvement of living standards and the improvement of housing conditions, the elderly have a work unit when they are young, and they hope to live an independent life and gain more freedom after retirement. Many children have their own houses after marriage and are unwilling to live with the elderly, leaving empty nesters behind.
1.2.3 Due to the successful implementation of the national family planning policy, the one-child family has gradually occupied a dominant position in the cities of China, and the traditional extended family has gradually been replaced by the nuclear family. Four, two, one? The only child in the family structure goes to other places to study, work or get married, leaving only two old people to live alone [2].
1.3 natural causes
Some old people are unmarried for life, some old people are married, but there are no children, and some children die, leading to empty nests.
2. Psychological problems of empty nesters
The main reason for the mental health problems of empty nesters is the lack of children's companionship and social spiritual comfort. When their children leave home for employment or get married, many old people gradually have less contact with society and have nothing to do at home. After a long time, they will feel lonely and lonely. If they do this for a long time, they will easily be pessimistic and unhappy, resulting in a series of psychological problems.
2. 1 empty nesters are depressed
Old age is a special period of life. Due to the deterioration of physiological function, the psychological adaptation mechanism and defense ability are weakened, and the adaptability to life is gradually declining. With the decline of the overall function of the elderly, the rehabilitation ability, feeling and motor function are not as good as before. Some elderly people will suffer from some chronic diseases for a long time, which will directly make them feel useless over time, thus destroying their mental state and causing psychological obstacles such as depression.
2.2 Sleep problems of empty nesters
With the increase of age, it is difficult for the body to adapt to the environment, which leads to the disorder of sleep-wake cycle. And with the increase of age, the incidence of chronic diseases is on the rise, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and so on. The influence of the disease causes emotional distress, physical and mental pain and sleep disorder to the elderly.
2.3 anxiety of empty nesters
Physical health is an important concern of empty nesters. With the increase of the number of physical diseases, the discomfort symptoms of the elderly become more and more serious, especially the pain caused by the long course of disease, which leads to anxiety, pain, pessimism and depression, thus producing anxiety and depression symptoms [3]. In addition, after retirement, various social activities are reduced, and interpersonal communication is also reduced. Without children, less contact and communication with relatives and friends will directly affect the mental state of the elderly and cause anxiety.
3. Nursing countermeasures for psychological problems of empty nesters.
3. 1 government employment policy guidance
From the government's point of view, we should introduce favorable policies for migrant workers, and at the same time increase wages and holidays so as to go home and have a look. Carry out basic economic construction in small and medium-sized cities, encourage migrant workers to choose jobs nearby, and find jobs nearby if conditions permit. On the one hand, it can promote the local economic development, on the other hand, it can take care of the elderly at home and give them more companionship, so that work and family can be balanced and the work enthusiasm of workers can be better improved.
3.2 The community should set up a caring room for empty nesters.
By organizing recreational activities, the community can not only exercise the life of the elderly, but also make their values best reflected and achieve physical and mental pleasure. Relevant government departments organize various communities to hold recreational activities about empty nesters on holidays, such as chess and card games, calligraphy and painting competitions, hand embroidery and other activities, so as to add fun to the life of empty nesters. The organization encourages volunteers and empty nesters to help in the team and provide services such as housekeeping, chatting and companionship.
3.3 Carry forward Chinese filial piety and advocate spiritual support.
Confucius said:? Today's filial piety is to be able to raise. As for dogs and horses, you can keep them. Disrespect, why not? This tells us that the elderly need not only food and clothing, but also spiritual comfort. For those children who can't live with their parents because of work or other reasons, they should go home more often. If you are not in a city, you can also communicate more by phone, text message, online chat and video, so as to close the distance with your parents and feel the closeness of each other's hearts.
3.4 Empty nesters change their ideas and live an active life.
Empty nesters should realize from their own psychology that a happy old age depends on themselves, scientific exercise, healthy and reasonable diet, extensive cultivation of hobbies, active participation in social activities, making friends and keeping pets. And constantly enrich your life. Old people with skills can also return to society, let them give full play to their residual heat and make a difference, and re-establish their life goals is the best way to overcome the empty nest mentality.
4. Conclusion
The phenomenon of empty nesters is the inevitable result of the development of human society to a certain stage, which needs the participation and solution of our whole society. Children are the closest to their parents and the best people to take care of them. A clear caring relationship should be formed between children and parents, and their filial piety and love for the elderly should be determined in the form of a responsibility, so that empty nesters can have the confidence and love to continue living alone and make this society more harmonious. Empty nesters should also be prepared to leave their original work units and start a new stove? Living alone? The preparation of life, for the next solitary life to find new fun, establish new interpersonal relationships, adjust lifestyle, actively participate in social welfare activities, and better realize their own life value. In short, only the joint efforts of the elderly, families and society can improve the ability to improve the mental health problems of empty nesters, thus promoting social stability and harmony.
References:
[1] Xing Jie, Hu. Empty nest syndrome? Social therapy [J]. Medicine and Society, 2006, 19 (6): 8.
[2] Wang Ying, He, He's adult. Health problems and countermeasures of empty nesters? [J]。 China Medical Ethics, 2007,20 (3): 9.