Comparative framework for care regime analysis in East Asia

This special issue focuses on the changing care regimes for children and older people in the East Asian societies of China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. As a result of dramatic changes in family structures and behaviours, each society has been struggling to reform its care regime. Each chapter addresses the impact of demographic trends on the care regimes, and the conclusion highlights the similarities and differences among these societies. The purpose of this introductory chapter is to map the demographic shifts and the changing profile of the family in each society, and to present a framework for the analysis of both elder and child care.