Compared with the Chinese elderly, why are there apparently more old people in America who pursuit independent life?

Although we have the fine tradition of respecting and raising aged people in china, the phenomena that different ages bring about the contradiction of ideas between old people and their children , has to be paid more attention. Likewise, the traditionally independent character in America, I think , is possibly attributed to fill the gap of the thoughts between the old and the young.

I conclude there are other reasons as followed:

First of all, living condition is the one of other main reasons. In china, with the increasing number of people, there seldom are the families which can provide spare houses for the elderly. This situation tend to lead them to reluctantly stay with their sons.

Secondly, the elderly Chinese have no belief or religion which can rescue people out of fear of death. They are unwilling to live alone, because no one can help them out of emergency. In spirit, they are discouraged to face death lonely without their relative’s cherisher.

Moreover, illiteracy is a problem among the elderly Chinese. Most of the aged people have no ability to acquire the knowledge from books except of some superficial TV programs. On the other hand, the barrier of communication impel them to connect only with a limited few friends. Therefore, they focus either on their family contradictions which are likely to anguish and frustrate them deeply., or on how to negatively avoid illness and death, which, to some extent, take a heavy burden on their mind.