Understanding the Drivers, Barriers, and Turning Points in Chinese Elders’ Transition from Family Care to Community-Based Care: Evidence from Shenzhen

China’s rapidly ageing population and the weakening capacity of families to provide care are placing unprecedented pressure on the eldercare system. Although community-based care has been promoted as a policy priority and a complement to traditional family care, its actual uptake remains limited, and little is known about how older adults shift from exclusive family care to community-based services. Using Shenzhen as a case study, this research explores the drivers, barriers, and critical turning points in the development and uptake of community-based eldercare services. Through purposive sampling, the study will invite approximately 50 adults aged 60 and above, including older people who primarily receive family care, active users of community-based care, and those who have recently considered shifting from family care to community-based care. Guided by life-course theory, the study will investigate how care decisions are embedded in older adults’ life trajectories, critical life events, and the broader policy environment. A qualitative case study design will be adopted, using semi-structured life-history interviews supplemented by a short questionnaire to trace older adults’ care trajectories and decisions. Thematic analysis will be used to reconstruct care pathways and to identify key moments that prompt a re-evaluation of existing care arrangements. The study aims to generate empirical evidence to inform the design and communication of community-based eldercare services that are materially accessible and emotionally acceptable to older adults and their families in China.