Abstract：The elderly migration is important social phenomenon in mature ageing societies.It is for the improvement of life quality,and has important social and economic functions and unique development laws.This article thoroughly reviewed the elderly migration literature from the developed countries,and divided the theoretical framework of the elderly migration into three parts.The first part includes migration theories,which consist of the migration push-pull theory,the life course theory,and the place identity theory.The second part includes migration decision models,which consist of the motivations for migration,and decision process of migration.The third part includes the characteristics of migration,which consist of both the sequential and spatial characteristics of migration.The multiple impacts of elderly migration are also studies,including the economic impacts,the social impacts,and the welfare impacts.The elderly migration in China is growing very fast under the impetus of ageing,industrialization,and urbanization.The ageing society of China is also undergoing internal transformations,which caused the diversification of elderly migration and posed new challenges to the elderly-care industry.Migration becomes new fashion in the later-life of the elderly in China,and has given rise to many large-sized elderly migration destinations,such as Sanya,Qingdao and Bama.The elderly migration is also an important measure to relieve urban congestion,improve the life quality of the elderly,and upgrade the elderly-care services in the rural areas.Finally,this article reviewed elderly migration studies in China.The elderly migration rate is still low in China,assistance and institution migration are the major types.In combination with the status quo of elderly migration in China,this article also proposed future research directions.
