Abstract: The rural revitalization strategy proposes to strengthen the construction of the rural social security system and improve the care and service system for the left behind elderly in the rural areas. Based on a field survey in X Village, N County, it was found that a large number of young people in the case village had left to work elsewhere, gradually leaving behind them a society composed mainly of elderly people. Between rural left behind elderly people and their children, there is a prominent parent-child relationship alienation which greatly undermines the quality of life of the elderly. The parent-child alienation among rural left behind elderly people is manifested in three dimensions-communication time, interaction space, and communication content-which are closely related to emotional and psychological pressure, lack of social interaction, and weakened communication willingness of rural left behind elderly people. According to Satya's communication theory, reconstruction of parent-child relationships among rural left behind elderly people can be carried out from three levels: “situation”, “others”, and “self”.

Key words: rural left-behind elderly, parent-child relationship, Satya theory of communication