This study contributes to a better understanding of the mutual-support willingness between mutual-support needs and social support. Most of the rural elderly hold a positive attitude towards mutual pension after understanding it. The higher the degree of social support, the stronger the willingness of rural elderly to participate in mutual pension. Rural elderly with mutual-support needs were more likely to take part in mutual pension. In general, we reach three main conclusions.
Adequate Protection and Care
In this study, as for individual characteristic factors, there is no significant relationship between the willingness to participate in mutual support and the gender, age of the elderly. And the willingness to participate in mutual support was related to marital status, who cares for life, and satisfaction with economic conditions. From the perspective of age, most scholars believe that with the growth of age, the physical strength and intelligence of the elderly gradually decline, which will lead to a decrease in the willingness to participate in mutual support [17]. From the perspective of educational level, scholars generally believe that with the continuous improvement of the educational level of the elderly, their willingness to participate in mutual support is higher [18]. The elderly with good health are more willing to participate in mutual support, the domestic multi mathematician's research shows that good health is the necessary condition for the elderly to participate in mutual support pension [19]. But, Xu Jiaming in the study of specific groups of the elderly, there is no significant relationship between the willingness to participate in mutual support and the gender, age, and educational background of the elderly [20]. The existence of spouses plays a necessary role in emotional support and stress relief for the elderly, making them more inclined to provide mutual assistance services 18. As for family security factors, relationships among family members and family support were significant with mutual support willingness. This result indicates that family members have an important influence on the decision of the elderly to participate in mutual support [21]. Rural family structure, lifestyle, cultural foundation, and emotional foundation make it possible to help each other and support each other, which has become a strong support for the operation of mutual support pension model. As for economic security factors, there is no significant relationship between the willingness to participate in mutual- support and the average monthly income of the elderly. And the willingness to participate in mutual support was related to the source of income, satisfaction with the current economic situation. In this study, the economy was relatively lower than those reported in the urban areas, signifying double influence among the rural elderly regarding mutual support willingness. First, economic condition is one of the important factors that restrict the mutual support participation of the elderly. Only by ensuring that the elderly have no financial worries and that the elderly participate in community mutual-support for the elderly, can they have no worries. But for the elderly without income, may be more inclined to get help, and their willingness to mutual support may be stronger. As for medical security factors, health status and medical accessibility have a significant on the decision of the elderly to participate in mutual-support pension. Most rural elderly have no regular physical examination habits and are inconvenient to go to the hospital. That means due to economic and environmental constraints, most of the rural elderly have fewer medical resources, and lots of them have no children around because of the transfer of young and middle-aged rural labor, so medical security was an important factor to influence the mutual-support willingness. Finally, clarified the influencing factors of rural elderly's willingness to participate in mutual pension and given them adequate protection and care to solve their worries about participating in mutual pension.
Maintain mutual-support needs service
The total average score of rural elderly's demand for mutual support is at a relatively high level. And the demand for health services, Spiritual comfort services, and entertainment and learning needs is slightly higher than that daily life care service. The highest score was health service demand, which is consistent with the results of relevant studies [22–23], possibly due to the risk of disease. With the increase of age, the physical function of the elderly will degenerate and become more and more unpredictable. In recent years, more and more diseases will follow, and the demand for health services will be stronger. In terms of health service demand, the elderly in rural areas have the highest demand for medical escort and care when they are sick. Due to the inconvenient transportation, low economic level, and insufficient primary health resources in rural areas, it is more difficult for the elderly to seek medical treatment, so the demand for medical escort is higher. Moreover, the long-term absence of the children of the empty nest elderly will inevitably affect the availability of their care resources. Even when they are sick, their children can't continue to care for them, and their physical condition is poor. The influence on the elderly is particularly prominent. Therefore, it is very important to solve the problem of rural pension by ensuring the needs of the elderly in rural areas, especially medical care and increasing investment in medical resources in rural areas and care for the elderly.
Strengthen social support
The total score on social support for the aged was 36.944 ± 6.487, at a moderate level. And the higher degree of social support, the stronger willingness to participate in mutual support for the aged. Rosow held that the effectiveness of social support for the rural elderly decreased among children, neighbors, and friends, and when rural elderly fell ill, their neighbors would provide the most essential social support if their children were not around [24]. Walker and Hiller found that physical health and subjective well-being could be directly affected by perceptions of neighborhood relationships in the community. In other words, establishing a social support network in the community through reciprocal trust not only can make them feel more supported, but also improve their life satisfaction [25]. The rural elderly shared their experiences and knowledge and provided each other with necessary help through life or emotional support at the mutual-management stage, thereby developing new relationships to add to the support network, which also contributed to the significant increases in their SSRS scores. Take measures to improve social support for the elderly in rural areas, for improving the happiness of the elderly in their later years, promoting the development of rural pensions, and alleviating the crisis of population aging.