Due to the implementation of the family planning policy, the aging of the population structure, the lag of the social security system and other social and historical reasons, the rural areas of China, which have entered an aging society, are facing increasingly serious problems of providing for the aged. In view of the social living conditions of the rural elderly, the author conducted a questionnaire survey and interviews with farmers and the elderly in Yangji Village, Dashahe Town, Fengxian County, Jiangsu Province. Yangji Village is an administrative village in the northwest of Jiangsu Province, which is located at the junction of Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan and Anhui provinces. The total population of the village is 3,560, and the per capita cultivated land is about 0.04467 hectares (0.67 mu). Because it belongs to the alluvial plain of the Yellow River floodplain, the soil is mostly sandy soil, and the cultivated land is suitable for fruit tree planting. The agricultural income of the villagers depends entirely on fruit tree planting. Because fruit income is much higher than food income, Dashahe Town, where Yangji Village is located, has become a well-known wealthy township.

First, the current rural pension research background

Population aging is a global social problem. China is entering an aging society. The so-called "aging society" usually refers to the social state that the population over 65 years old exceeds 7% of the total population, and it is called "aging society" when it exceeds 14%. 20 10 the main data bulletin of the sixth national census shows that the aging process in China is gradually accelerating. China's total population 1 339 724 852, population aged 60 and above 177 648 705, accounting for 13.26%, of which 65433 are people aged 65 and above. The China Fiscal Policy Report 2010/201issued by the Institute of Finance and Trade Economics of China Academy of Social Sciences points out that the population aging in China will show an accelerated development trend in the next 30 years. By 2030, the population over 65 in China will surpass that in Japan, becoming the country with the highest aging degree in the world. Obviously, in the next 30 years, the population aging in China will remain at a high level.

With the rapid development of China's economy and society, a large number of rural young adults go out to work. Coupled with the implementation of the family planning policy, China's family structure tends to be simplified, the scale tends to be miniaturized, and the function of supporting the elderly in rural villages is weakened. The traditional family pension model can no longer meet the needs of rural pension. Family pension mode has always been the pillar mode of rural pension in China. The existence of this old-age security system has historical origins and objective inevitability. Respecting the old and loving the young is the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation. Family life is an important mode of social life and governance in traditional rural areas, and family pension is the obligation and sacred duty of traditional rural families in China. With the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization, a large number of rural laborers have flooded into cities, and the number of empty-nest families in rural areas has increased. The old model of rural pension has been broken, the traditional rural social security function has been weakened, and the values are diversified. Especially in developed coastal areas and areas with a large population and a small population, the problem of rural old-age care is more prominent.

Building a harmonious socialist society and establishing a social security system integrating urban and rural areas is a major historical task put forward in the report of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. As an important part of building a harmonious socialist society, rural old-age security has always been highly valued and deeply cared by the state. On June 24th, 2009, the State Council adopted the Guiding Opinions on Launching the Pilot Project of New Rural Social Endowment Insurance, and then held a national conference on the pilot project of new rural social endowment insurance to make arrangements for the pilot project. In addition, the goal of basically establishing a social security system covering urban and rural residents in 2020 has been put forward, which has drawn a beautiful blueprint for the rural elderly to enjoy comprehensive social security. Constantly improving the rural old-age service system and effectively ensuring the life of the elderly is not only the need to better build a new countryside with social interests, but also an important embodiment of adhering to the people-oriented principle and implementing Scientific Outlook on Development. Therefore, it is a very important topic to deeply investigate the problems faced by rural old-age care in China and improve and perfect the path and mode of rural old-age care.

Second, the rural pension problems analysis

Providing for the aged means supporting the elderly. With the increase of age, the economic ability and self-care ability of the elderly gradually decline, and they need to rely on the support of their children, relatives and friends and society. This kind of support not only provides material satisfaction, but also includes spiritual pleasure. At present, there are usually three modes of rural pension in China, namely, family pension, community pension and social pension. Through investigation, it is found that family pension is the most common way of providing for the aged at present, which obviously has a lot to do with China's traditional culture, rural economic situation and the values of the elderly. Although since the reform and opening up, the quality of life in rural areas has been greatly improved, and the living conditions of the elderly have also been greatly improved, rural old-age care still faces great problems, mainly including the following four aspects.

(A) rural pension lack of economic resources

Economic security is the primary factor of rural old-age care. The quality and level of rural pension are largely determined by economic conditions. Due to the decline in the working ability and income of the elderly, in the traditional family pension model in China, the living expenses and services of the elderly are mainly provided by their children, spouses and other close relatives.

According to the survey, 0/00% of the elderly in Yangji Village/KLOC have old-age insurance and earn 60 yuan/month. According to the Notice on Printing and Distributing the Implementation Measures of the New Rural Social Endowment Insurance System in Fengxian County (Feng [2065438+00] No.42), the basic pension standard for rural school-age residents is the minimum 60 yuan per person per month, with lifelong payment. Rural residents who have reached the age of 60 and meet the conditions for receiving pensions can receive pensions on a monthly basis.

However, many elderly people report that 60 yuan's monthly pension can only be used as pocket money, which is a drop in the bucket for living expenses and medical expenses. Most of the old people interviewed in Yangji Village have been engaged in agricultural labor for a long time. Yangji village, with superior natural conditions, has planted fruit trees on a large scale. However, in recent years, with the decline of agricultural products prices and the increase of pesticides, fertilizers and labor costs, the net income of farmers has become less and less. In such a relatively rich village, the living conditions of the elderly are just enough to eat and drink in their own words.

(2) How to take care of farmers and the elderly?

Who will take care of the rural elderly has become an important topic in the process of rural old-age care in reality. The problem of providing for the aged in rural areas does not simply refer to the care of the elderly when they are lying in hospital beds or unable to take care of themselves, but includes the whole life process of the elderly. For the elderly, caring about food, clothing, housing and transportation, and caring about spiritual feelings is better than the supply of money and materials.

However, although the rural areas have got rid of poverty after the reform and opening up, many places have only reached the level of food and clothing. The impact of market economy, rising prices, slow income growth and other production and life pressures make every rural labor force have to spend all their time on farm work and going out to work. It has become an extravagant hope for the rural elderly to look after their children and get meticulous care from them. Many rural laborers have to do business or go out to work to earn money to pay for their children's education, marriage and family expenses.

Rural laborers who go out to make a living, such as transportation, processing, construction, repair, manufacturing and other industries, generally work long hours and have high labor intensity, which leads to long-term separation from middle-aged and elderly people at home. For example, Zhang, male, 47 years old, is a typical rural labor force. He is engaged in the construction industry in Shandong. He goes out to work for 3 to 4 months at a time, and works for about 9 months every year. When the fruit trees are busy, they go home to take care of them. After the fruit is harvested, they sell it for a good price in person.

Therefore, whether working outside or making a living at home, there is little time to accompany and take care of elderly parents. His wife YJC·M is 48 years old. She is engaged in agricultural production in busy farming season, works part-time in some local processing enterprises, and earns some income in slack farming season to support her two children to stay out and go to school. An elderly couple usually take care of themselves. The elderly will not allow their children to stay at home to take care of themselves unless they are seriously ill in bed, take time off to go home or stop working to take care of the elderly.