By Qin Qi
China has pledged to ramp up efforts to improve the elderly care system, an official of the Ministry of Civil Affairs said at a press conference Thursday.
The country will build a system where senior people's homes, communities, and institutions work together to provide eldercare, said ministry official Li Banghua, citing a recently released guideline.
Li Banghua, an official of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, attends a press conference in Beijing on Dec. 9, 2021. [Photo by Liu Jian/China SCIO]
The number of Chinese people living in the mainland aged 60 and above is 264.2 million, representing 18.7% of the country's total population, according to the latest population census.
This year, China has selected 42 regions to improve home- and community-based elderly care by delivering professional care services from old-age institutions to the homes of senior citizens, Li said.
In the next five years, China will promote services like canteen services, day care, mutual-help services, and so on, so that senior citizens can be taken care of at their residential communities.
Regarding elderly care institutions, Li said these institutions will improve their capabilities in taking care of seniors with disabilities or dementia. For example, the rate of standard nursing beds in elderly care institutions across China is expected to reach 55% by 2025. These institutions are also encouraged to provide services to seniors at their residential communities.
Over the past five years, the central government allocated 5 billion yuan (US$788 million) to support the pilot reforms in home- and community-based elderly care system, Li said.
