Willingness of elderly people to use nursing homes: comparing those living alone and those living with family in Shandong, China

Approximately 8.5% of seniors in Shandong, China, expressed a willingness for institutional care.

• Empty-nest singles are significantly more willing to receive institutional care compared to non-empty-nest seniors.
• The odds of empty-nest singles willing for institutional care are 5.301 times higher than their non-empty-nest counterparts.
• Residence type is a key factor influencing willingness for institutional care among both empty-nest and non-empty-nest seniors.
• Psychological stress is positively associated with the willingness for institutional care among empty-nest singles.
• Education, relationship with adult children, household income, and living space impact the willingness of empty-nest couples for institutional care.
• Age, number of children, and self-reported health status are linked to the willingness for institutional care among non-empty-nest seniors.

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