Social adaptation and adaptation pressure among the “drifting elderly” in China: A qualitative study in Shanghai

Objective In China, a population of “drifting elderly” that is mainly composed of older parents who migrate for nonemployment reasons has emerged and developed rapidly. The need to understand their social adaptation after migration is well recognized but neglected, so we explored this in the current study. Methods A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was undertaken involving 53 elderly interprovincial migrants in five districts of Shanghai from July 2016 to May 2018. This involved in‐depth interviews with participants. Adaptation of the drifting elderly and their motivations for migrating were studied, and differences in daily life when compared with before migrating, difficulties encountered after migrating, and social‐adaptation pressure were analyzed. Results The drifting elderly had poor adaptation regarding self‐identity, daily activities, and social context. The adaptation process regarding daily life, social relationships, and obtaining social support was difficult. They experienced both proximate adaptation pressure (induced by providing and/or obtaining social support) and evolutionary adaptation pressure (induced by mismatch and/or constraints). Conclusion The social adaptation of the drifting elderly was affected by differences in daily life when compared with before migrating, and adaptation pressure was caused by both proximate and evolutionary factors. The decision to migrate was the result of a rational principle of maintaining the intergenerational support structure, and it was influenced by the evolutionary advantage related to maintaining this structure. Strengthening social support for the drifting elderly is necessary to promote their adaptation.