Doing the work of two generations: The impact of out-migration on the elderly in rural Taiwan.

The pattern of rural-to-urban migration in Taiwan is dominated by young people. However, it is older cohorts who direct out-migration. They provide the necessary education and training for their children's urban employment; collect information about the availability of jobs and housing; separate their children from farm work and subsidize the new migrants. The large numbers of these young people leaving rural areas has led to the depopulation of many villages. Older villagers are left to absorb the economic consequences of depopulation. The growing shortage of labor and rising wages for hired help have led to mechanization of tasks, increased the use of chemicals in farming and produced changes in land use and tenure. ka]Key words kb]Taiwan kb]migration kb]elderly kb]depopulation kb]rural life.