I share this question, yet I don't have the answer.
Last weekend we went to Shijiazhuang, the capital city of China's Hebei Province, to see my aunt and uncle and their children, my mother’s siblings. My aunt is 5 years younger than my mother, uncle 11 years younger.
My aunt as a retired army engineer enjoys a fat cushion of financial safety. However, her son told me, "My mother often has this sense of meaninglessness, talking about death being a better alternative to life for her. I often mention your mother to cheer her up. 'Look at your elder sister. She is healthy and cheerful, so should you.'"
My aunt has a spacious three-bed apartment in a big Army courtyard for retired army officers. The courtyard has a high concentration of seniors. You can see people walking around either with sticks or walkers. My aunt uses a walking stick. She told me about the loss of some neighbors since this year. Some here yesterday, gone today. I guess there is no shortage of the news of loss in her courtyard.
I think her environment contributes to her low spirits. Experiencing the loss of peers or friends in her neighborhood can lead to feelings of sadness or depression for her. The experience could remind of her own mortality and cause her to overthink.
While it's difficult to find a cookie-cutter solution to the well-being of seniors, I can see clearly in my aunt's case, that financial stability is not enough, and emotional and social support are also critical for her overall well-being.
Also, living in a senior center and witnessing the passing of one's peers could be a challenge to the fragile mental health of seniors. The potential trauma associated with witnessing the passing of peers is also a real concern.
There are plenty of this type of living quarters for retirees in China. While I don't know exactly which social environment provides the best quality of life for the seniors, I know there are some emotional and psychological needs that are not addressed in my aunt's case.