Market Feasibility of Senior-Provided Childcare Meeting Gen-Z Families in Central China: Causal Evidence from Young-Old Reemployment Initiatives

China's dual demographic pressuresa rapidly aging population and fertility rates below replacement levelspose systemic risks to labor markets and intergenerational equity. Leveraging survey data from 4,147 Gen-Z families and 3,251 young-old (6069 years) individuals in central China, this study evaluates the feasibility of integrating elderly labor into childcare markets to address both elderly underemployment and youth parenting costs. Employing ordinal logistic regression and sharp regression discontinuity (RD) designs, we find that familiarity with elderly-provided childcare services significantly boosts demand among young families (coefficient: 2.074 for married households) and reemployment willingness among the young-old (log-odds: +0.768 per familiarity unit). However, information asymmetry persists: 88.5% of youth lack awareness of service specifics, while income thresholds (10,500/month) sharply divide adoption rates (RD coefficient: 0.284, ). Policy simulations suggest that structured interventionstraining programs, income-linked subsidies, and certification systemscould align preferences, as 54% of families express openness to professional caregiving. These findings demonstrate lifecycle-stage complementarity, challenging assumptions of generational competition, and offer scalable solutions for aging economies globally.