Based on the fifth and sixth national censuses in 2000 and 2010 respectively, this paper in-vestigates the factors influencing the life quality of the empty nest elderly in urban areas within the the-oretical framework of positive views on aging. Through data comparison, we found that the decline in life quality of elderly women in urban areas is not necessarily attributable to empty nest. The factors involved are as follows. Increasing average life expectancy of elderly women leads to greater health risks;elderly women indirectly participate in the social production by taking care of their grandchil-dren and/or their own weak or diseased parents without getting paid;their inconsistent careers render them weak in terms of power. Hence, we should reinterpret the concept of empty nest, make our poli-cies weighted toward benefiting elderly women, and ensure their rights as important resource providers for families and society, so as to improve their life quality.%基于中国第五次和第六次人口普查数据，以积极老龄观为理论框架研究了影响城市空巢老年人生存质量的影响因素。通过数据比较发现，城市老年女性生存质量的下降并不必然是空巢的居住安排，其影响因素反而更多的是：女性平均预期寿命的延长而带来的健康风险的增大；老年女性间接参与社会生产(照看第三代和照料高龄患病老人)并未获得相应的劳动报酬；职业生涯的不连贯使得老年妇女的保障能力处于弱势地位。因此，要提升城市空巢老年女性的生存质量，理应从理念、政策、增权三个方面加以治理。
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