Beijing is currently building seven regional senior care centers in Fengtai, Tongzhou, Yanqing, Fangshan, Changping, Miyun and Pinggu districts, and over 70 percent of the beds in these centers will be provided to senior citizens with disabilities.
According to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, the new elderly care centers in Yanqing and Fangshan districts have mostly finished construction. With a total construction area of 40,048 square meters and 700 beds, the care center in Fangshan District focuses on taking care of senior citizens with disabilities. The care center in Miyun District with an area of 10,875 square meters and the one in Changping District with an area of 26,897 square meters will set 404 and 464 beds respectively for the elderly with disabilities.
As of the end of 2016, Beijing is home to nearly 3.3 million senior citizens over 60 years old and 3.2 million of them are above 65 years old. Since 2013, to tackle the challenges brought by its aging population, Beijing has invested 620 million yuan (US$93 million) in building the regional senior care network, including 16 senior care centers run by the government throughout the city. So far, nine centers have been completed and are in operation.
In addition, Beijing is also mulling over policies to set a budget for fixed asset investment in building and renovating senior care stations in community and township, in a bid to further promote the public service in grassroots senior care centers.