Expansion of Thailand’s Social Pension Policy and Its Implications for Family Support for Older Persons

Abstract Thailand is among few developing countries that have provided universal social pension for its older adults since 2009. Analyzing nationally-representative data from the Surveys of Older Persons in Thailand, we address the extent to which older Thais have benefited from the policy and describe the socio-demographic correlates of older persons who primarily rely on OAA as their main income source. Importantly, we examine how reliance on OAA may have implications for intergenerational exchanges between older parents and adult children as well as the well-being of older Thais. Results show significant changes over the last decade in the patterns of old-age income sources and filial economic support for older parents, particularly after the universalization of the OAA policy. We find the declining importance of children and rising significance of OAA as the primary income source. Older persons whose main income source was OAA were considered socially and economically vulnerable, although it was men rather than women who were more likely to depend on OAA as the main income source. Results further indicate that reliance of OAA as the main income source is not associated with a reduction in non-monetary familial support (intergenerational coresidence and social support) for aged parents. Nevertheless, we find that older parents whose main income was OAA were consistently less likely to report income adequacy and psychological well-being compared to others. This evidence suggests that while the OAA scheme may have tackled old-age poverty issues, it has little impact in dampening economic and social inequality among older Thais.

analysis was conducted using AMOS 26.0 which resulted in an interaction between relationship closeness and collectivism to predict custodial grandparent depressive symptoms. Custodial grandparents who reported a lower level of closeness with their grandchildren in a higher collectivistic culture reported a significantly higher level of depression symptoms than those in a more individualistic culture, particularly for custodial grandmothers. However, custodial grandparents who reported a higher level of closeness with their grandchildren in a higher collectivistic culture reported significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms than those in a more individualistic culture. Furthermore, compared to biological parents, custodial grandparents reported significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms when reporting higher collectivistic culture. These findings will inform the need for more research to assess factors of cultural features that reduce psychological problems and support family relationships to adapt psychological therapies in older adults. Although earlier cross-sectional studies suggested a U-shaped curve in marital quality over the life course, recent longitudinal studies find stability or continual decline (Proulx, Ermer, & Kanter, 2017). It is important to better understand patterns of marital quality during later life, as marital quality is associated with older adults' marital stability, health, and longevity. However, few studies have utilized couple-level data to examine marital quality trajectories, and only one has examined dyadic patterns during later life (Wickrama et al., 2020). We use nationally-representative data from the 2006-2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine positive and negative dimensions of marital quality among a sample of continuously-married couples over age 50 in which both partners provided data on marital quality at three time points (n = 1,389 couples). A survey-weighted latent growth curve model simultaneously examines two marital quality trajectories: own and spouse's. Preliminary results show that mean baseline positive and negative marital quality are similar for own and spouse's trajectories. Although growth rates are statistically non-significant for positive marital quality, the variance of growth rate is statistically significant for spouse's trajectory (0.001, p < 0.05), and greater baseline own positive marital quality is associated with negative growth of spouse's positive marital quality. Growth rates are similar for own and spouse's trajectories of negative marital quality, and variance of growth rate is statistically significant for spouse's negative marital quality trajectory. Results point to stability in marital quality over time, and suggest the importance of using couple-level data.

EXPANSION OF THAILAND'S SOCIAL PENSION POLICY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR FAMILY SUPPORT FOR OLDER PERSONS
Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan, National University of Singapore, SINGAPORE, Singapore Thailand is among few developing countries that have provided universal social pension for its older adults since 2009. Analyzing nationally-representative data from the Surveys of Older Persons in Thailand, we address the extent to which older Thais have benefited from the policy and describe the socio-demographic correlates of older persons who primarily rely on OAA as their main income source. Importantly, we examine how reliance on OAA may have implications for intergenerational exchanges between older parents and adult children as well as the well-being of older Thais. Results show significant changes over the last decade in the patterns of old-age income sources and filial economic support for older parents, particularly after the universalization of the OAA policy. We find the declining importance of children and rising significance of OAA as the primary income source. Older persons whose main income source was OAA were considered socially and economically vulnerable, although it was men rather than women who were more likely to depend on OAA as the main income source. Results further indicate that reliance of OAA as the main income source is not associated with a reduction in non-monetary familial support (intergenerational coresidence and social support) for aged parents. Nevertheless, we find that older parents whose main income was OAA were consistently less likely to report income adequacy and psychological well-being compared to others. This evidence suggests that while the OAA scheme may have tackled old-age poverty issues, it has little impact in dampening economic and social inequality among older Thais.

EXPERIENCES AND IMPLICATIONS ON FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS FOR GRANDMOTHERS RAISING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN Carol Musil, Elizabeth Tracy, Rashon Braxton, McKenzie Wallace, and Alexandra Jeanblanc, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
In the U.S., over 2.7 million grandparents are primary caregivers to grandchildren. It is critical to understand the experiences of grandparent caregivers to design tailored, supportive programs. Our aim was to analyze written journals of 129 grandmothers with respect to the impact of raising grandchildren on relationships with family members. As part of a national RCT study of grandmother caregivers, participants completed daily journals for 4 weeks. Employing thematic data analysis, three members of the research team coded using NVIVO 12 Plus. The research team met regularly to compare and resolve discrepancies in coding. Percent agreement was > 80%. Relationships with the grandchild's mother were characterized by anger/tension, resentment, and the realization that the mother was incapable of parenting while at the same time expressing worry/concern for her. Relationships with the grandchild's father mirrored these dynamics while also depicting the father as a distant figure, inconsistent, and financially absent. Spousal relationships were marked by challenges faced by the spouse, their shared role/ influence as a grandparent, and the quality of their time spent together. The other relationships described were often focused on their other adult children, as well as their own adult siblings. Grandmother caregivers expressed stress or strain and frustration within these relationships. Caregivers also verbalized gratitude for support from family members within the context of familial and financial stress. Grandmother caregivers may need support in managing familial relationships and stress within these relationships, which may be a target for future interventions.

FAMILY VALUE MATTERS: INTERGENERATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND LIFE SATISFACTION OF CHINESE OLDER MIGRANTS
JUN YAO, 1 Li zhang, 2 and Peiyi Lu, 3 1. NANJING MEDICAL UNIVERSITY,NANJING,Jiangsu,China,2. Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine,NANJING,Jiangsu,China,3. Iowa State University,Ames,Iowa,United States The number of older adults who migrate due to family reasons has been increasing rapidly in China in the past decade. However, few empirical studies have focused on this group. This study focused on them and explored the association of intergenerational solidarity with older migrants' life satisfaction when they were adapting to the new environment. We surveyed 340 older adults who migrated to Nanjing with their children either to help care for the grandchildren or enjoy retirement life. Respondents were recruited from the community. Structural equation modeling was adopted to analyze the associations among intergenerational solidarity, loneliness, aging perception, and life satisfaction. Results showed intergenerational solidarity was negatively correlated with loneliness (r=-0.304) but positively correlated with life satisfaction (r=0.386). Loneliness was linked to lower life satisfaction(r=-0.517). Path analyses showed that loneliness played a partial mediation role on the relationship of intergenerational solidarity and life satisfaction. Aging perception negatively moderated the association between intergenerational solidarity and loneliness, and also negatively moderated the mediating effect of loneliness on intergenerational solidarity and life satisfaction. It is concluded family values played important roles in Chinese older migrants' mental health. When they migrate to a new city, intergenerational solidarity can help ease their loneliness and subsequently improve their life satisfaction, which finally help them adapt to the new environment. Positive perception towards aging also helps improve their well-being after migration. Based on these findings, we suggest practitioners design education program to promote family values among the family with older migrants.

GRANDPARENTING AND THE RECEIPT OF FILIAL PIETY FROM ADULT CHILDREN IN CHINESE AMERICAN FAMILIES Jeung Hyun Kim, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States
The current study explores the association between grandparent caregiving by Chinese American elders and their perceived receipt of filial support from their adult children, called filial piety (xiao). Many studies find a correlation between grandparent caregiving and filial behaviors from their adult children, which is notably higher among minority families, especially among Asians than among white families, stimulated by the norm of reciprocity, familism, and extended kinship. Drawing from the theory of intergenerational relationships, social exchange theory, and the role theory, this study questions whether a more active engagement in