Can Chinese college students engage in mutual help for the older adults?

The aging population has created a shortage of older adult care resources and increased pension pressure. This study proposes integrating university students into mutual aid older adult care services to optimize the system. This study conducted implied a cross-sectional survey in November 2022, to investigate factors associated with university students’ willingness to participate in mutual aid older adult care services, using Chi-square tests and structural equation modeling for analysis. The survey indicated that university students had low awareness of the mutual aid older adult care model. However, after understanding, they demonstrated a high willingness to participate (90.89%). Chi-square analysis revealed significant associations between willingness to participate and both awareness of mutual aid older adult care and volunteer guarantees (comprising social recognition, safety assurance, and economic compensation). Additionally, the structural equation model demonstrated a significant positive association between volunteer guarantee and willingness to participate (β = 0.73, p < .001). Providing volunteer-based support for university students can encourage greater participation, and offer services to the older adult, alleviate the burden on older adults care, promote intergenerational communication, and contribute to the sustainable development of mutual aid older adult care.