Social support as a catalyst: exploring consumption intentions of rural elderly for elderly care services

This research investigates the role of social support in shaping the consumption intentions of rural elderly individuals for elderly care services. Focusing on five types of social support (emotional, instrumental, informational, esteem, and social companionship) the article examines how these effect willingness to engage with elderly care services in rural settings. Data collected from 810 rural elderly respondents in Liaoning, China, indicate that emotional, instrumental, informational, and esteem support significantly enhance consumption intentions, while social companionship support has a minimal effect. These findings suggest that tailored social support strategies can increase elderly care service engagement, particularly in rural areas where formal care services are often lacking, providing actionable insights for policymakers and service providers to increase elderly care service accessibility in rural regions from the perspective of social support.