World
The Search for Connection Among Shanghai’s Elderly
Explore the poignant journey of Shanghai’s elderly as they seek meaningful connections in a rapidly changing city. Discover the challenges they face and the initiatives aimed at fostering community and companionship among seniors.
In the bustling city of Shanghai, many elderly individuals face a profound sense of loneliness and the challenge of finding companionship. Each weekend, a gathering of divorced and widowed residents convenes in a dating corner at People’s Park, hoping to spark conversations and forge new connections. On Tuesdays, they flock to an Ikea canteen, searching for a little joy and laughter in their lives.
These seniors often arrive dressed a touch more elegantly than usual, eager to share stories about their lives, their accomplishments, and their aspirations for the future. “I’m quite straightforward. I don’t indulge in smoking or playing mahjong,” shared Xu Xiaoduo, a 70-year-old former primary school teacher who has been divorced twice. He readily volunteers information about his pension, which amounts to approximately $1,250 a month, and boasts about his dancing skills, which he claims are quite impressive. Yet, he laments, “But,” he added with a hint of sadness, “I can’t seem to find true love.”
Many in the crowd echo Xu’s sentiments, grappling with their own feelings of despair while attempting to mask their longing for companionship. A significant number admit to feeling disheartened, having lost hope in the pursuit of romantic relationships.
This struggle for connection among the elderly is puzzling, especially considering the sheer number of older adults in China. Currently, there are more individuals aged 65 and above in China than in any other nation, and within the country, Shanghai boasts the highest population of senior citizens. Most of these individuals have long since retired, as China maintains one of the lowest retirement ages globally, leading to many being widowed or divorced.
The stark reality is that loneliness permeates the lives of these older residents, with their children and grandchildren often preoccupied with their own busy lives, resulting in infrequent visits. The pool of older singles in China continues to expand, and projections indicate that within the next three decades, the number of individuals aged 65 and older is expected to soar to 400 million, according to the International Monetary Fund.