Can Organizational Mobilization Promote the Rural Older Adults to Participate in Mutual-Aid Care Service: A Practical Case in China

In the context of an aging population, mutual-aid care services for the older adults represent a significant systemic initiative aimed at addressing the care needs of older adults. The active participation of the older adults is fundamental to the advancement of mutual-aid care services, and organizational mobilization is a key strategy to encourage their participation. Drawing on survey data from 796 older adults across Jiangsu, Hebei, and Shaanxi provinces in China from 2020, this study examined the current state of rural older adults participation in mutual-aid care services and investigated the impact of organizational mobilization on it. The findings indicate that the older adults’ overall willingness to participate in mutual-aid care services is relatively weak, and that the development of organizational mobilization is still in its infancy. Policy advocacy and material incentives play a significant role in motivating the older adults to provide mutual-aid services. In light of these conclusions, the study proposes policy recommendations to enhance publicity for mutual-aid services among the older adults, refine the organizational framework, and implement government policy support.