Of course, the traditional values of a society are a significant factor. Among the Chinese it is considered a virtue to take care of one's family elders, and there is more reliance on relatives, whereas privacy and independence are emphasized in the West, where old people are more likely to want to live alone and thereby to preserve their own dignity.
當然，這與社會傳統價值觀也不無關係，中國人講孝道，認為兒女奉侍才是孝親，精神上也較依賴；西方社會重視個人隱私與獨立自主的精神，老人也較願獨居，保持自己的尊嚴。