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5 Social Support of the Elderly Chinese: Comparisons between China and Canada Neena L . Chappell and David C.Y. Lai 0 Introduction While studie s o f lif e satisfactio n an d qualit y o f lif e aboun d i n gerontology , only recently has attention focussed o n the elderly Asians, specifically Chinese , in thi s area . Understandably , mos t o f th e researc h o n th e elderl y Chines e discusses thos e livin g i n on e location , fo r example , i n Hon g Kon g o r i n Calgary. Researc h examinin g th e qualit y o f lif e amon g th e elderl y Asians , specifically Chinese , has to date not incorporated cross-nationa l comparisons . Rather, studie s o f th e elderl y Chines e i n Nort h Americ a frequentl y assum e that thei r differenc e fro m th e hos t societ y i s attributabl e t o thei r foreig n 'culture', despit e th e fac t tha t Chines e cultur e i s also evolving . However , a s Ikels (1990 ) note s i n relation t o living arrangements i n China , thes e usuall y reflect a child living in the parents' home, dictated through scarcity of available accommodation an d resources , rather tha n necessaril y preference . Yet , thes e living arrangements, noted by Kitano et al. (1991) t o be more common amon g the elderly Chines e in North America than for whites, are usually interprete d as indicative o f Chines e cultura l norm s abou t th e value o f elderly persons . Comparisons of the elderly Chinese living in China and in North Americ a are importan t fo r assessin g difference s an d similaritie s betwee n th e two . I n this chapter , seniors living in Victoria, British Columbi a (B.C.) , Canada, an d those livin g i n Suzhou , China , ar e compared . Th e significanc e o f locatio n 68฀NEENA ฀L.฀CHAPPELL ฀AND฀DAVID฀C.Y.฀LAI฀ (Victoria versus Suzhou) fo r their quality of life is assessed, and the predictors of quality o f life fo r thos e living in each locatio n ar e also assessed .§฀Suzhou฀and฀Victoria฀ These tw o citie s were chose n becaus e the y ar e twi n citie s an d shar e severa l characteristics, althoug h the y diffe r i n importan t way s as well. Victoria Cit y Council approve d th e twinnin g o f Suzho u an d Victori a i n Jul y 1980 . I n October, the mayor of Victoria and the vice-chairman of the Suzhou Municipa l Revolutionary Committe e signed a proclamation in Suzhou, declaring Victoria and Suzho u 'Siste r Cities' . I n celebration , th e cit y o f Victoria gav e it s siste r city 500 0 daffodi l bulbs , tw o cluste r ligh t standard s an d a n India n tote m pole. The bulbs were planted and th e light standards and totem pole installe d in th e Eastern Garde n in Suzhou. I n return, th e city of Suzhou gav e Victoria a pair o f sculptured ston e lions , a Chinese painting an d a piece o f reversibl e Suzhou embroidery . Th e ston e lion s wer e place d i n fron t o f th e Gat e o f Harmonious Interes t a t th e entranc e t o Victoria' s Chinatown , th e oldes t Chinatown i n Canada . Both citie s are known fo r thei r scenic beauty and tranquillity . Suzho u i s referred t o as the Cit y of Garden s i n Chin a an d Victori a i s Canada' s Garde n City. Both citie s ar e linked wit h water : Suzho u i s criss-crossed b y a maze o f small canal s wherea s Victori a i s locate d o n a n islan d i n th e Pacifi c Ocean . Both ar e retiremen t centre s an d touris t centres . I n th e nineteent h century , Suzhou wa s a prosperous cultural , financial an d commercia l centre , wherea s Victoria wa s...

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