Physical and Mental Well-being of the Elderly: Examining the Impact of Financial Support from Migrant Children on Indian Left-behind Parents

Abstract

Background: This study aims to examine the impact of adult child migration on physical and mental health of elderly parents and further how received financial support (remittance) compensate the absence of adult child. Methodology: Using the 2011 Building a Knowledge Base on Population Ageing in India (BKPAI) dataset, the current study (n=5122) employs bivariate statistics, logistic regression, and mediation analysis to address the objectives. Logistic regression determines the factors of self-rated health and depression, while mediation analysis is implied to understand the intermediate effect of financial support i.e. remittance on left behind elderly health. Results: The findings indicate that approximately 43 percent of the study population are left behind, meaning they have at least one migrant child. Notably, 20 percent of these left-behind elderly report poor health conditions, and 17 percent exhibit depressive symptoms, while the poor health and having depressive symptoms is lower among the non-left behind elderly i.e., 13 and 12 respectively. The mediation analysis indicate that the likelihood of good self-rated health increased 1.35 times due to the effect of adult child migration via remittance which contribute around 55 % of total effect of migration. Conclusion: The consistent inflow of remittances serves to alleviate the impact on household finances, ensure food security, and address medical expenses. However, it is crucial to recognize that while remittances contribute significantly to economic stability, they cannot replace the physical presence of adult children, especially in terms of caregiving. Consequently, the study highlights that emotional bonds between parents and children play a pivotal role in bridging the emotional gap caused by physical separation, offering vital emotional support and reassurance to elderly family members and ultimately contributing to their holistic well-being.