Elderly care highlighted at the NPC session

Deputy Jia Weiping from east China's Shanghai [Photo: China Plus]

China is ageing. The number of elderly people will reach 255 million, or 17.8 percent of the country's total population by 2020.

How best to provide better care for seniors has been one of the most intensely discussed topics among the lawmakers gathered in Beijing for the ongoing major political meetings.

CRI's Fei Fei has more.

Often referred to as "square dancing" or "Dancing Grannies", the phenomenon of group aerobics is all the rage in Chinese towns and cities. Driving forward this fitness craze is a huge number of older people who see it as a way of keeping healthy, but also as a means of meeting friends.

China currently has 230 million people over the age of 60, accounting for 16.7 percent of the total population. The proportion is growing due to decades of strict family planning policy and increased life expectancy.

Meanwhile, elder-care services are far from sufficient across the country. There are just 30 nursing home beds per 1,000 elderly people.

So, the question of how to secure quality of life for seniors has turned into a main concern for Chinese society.

"My parents are in their mid-80s. It's better for them to live at home than in a nursing house. But health care is a problem. Could efficient medical services be provided if they were hit by a sudden illness?"

"My husband and I both have heart disease. Our children are busy with work. When we have difficulties, it is impossible to seek assistance from them. We're looking for a nursing home but to find those with suitable environment, equipment and health services is expensive."

The government has got the message loud and clear.

In fact, elder-care is one of the key topics at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Premier Li Keqiang shed some light on the issue when he delivered the government work report at the opening ceremony of the NPC session.

"We will launch a new round of trials for comprehensive reform in the service sector, and support the non-governmental sector in providing education, elderly care, healthcare and other services. We will encourage the development of new service models and cross-sectoral integration, combined medical and elderly care services…"

The report was closely reviewed by NPC deputies, with many making constructive suggestions on how to provide better care for older people.

Deputy Jia Weiping is the president of the Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital. She called for a widening and strengthening of service teams through professional training.

"People who are willing to help seniors, for example volunteers and social workers, can all be included in the team and trained. The community can provide a platform, inviting doctors and geriatric specialists to give professional training. A consistent and established plan is very important."

Deputy Shen Zhigang from east China's Shanghai [Photo: China Plus]

Deputy Shen Zhigang, a professor with Shanghai Jiaotong University, suggested the social care market should be opened up to private companies to give senior citizens more options.

"There are a large number of senior people who are basically or completely unable to take care of themselves. The existing institutions and communities could not provide enough services for them. This is a problem that cannot be resolved by the government alone. The government should mobilize private capital in developing elderly care institutions by offering tax incentives and financial support."

Shen's suggestion is a key focus for the government.

According to the five-year plan released by the State Council early this month, private capital and non-governmental organizations will be given greater access to the elderly care market. By 2020, elderly care beds provided by governments should account for no more than 50 percent of the total.

The Chinese authorities also plan to streamline the approval process for elderly care institutions.

For CRI, this is Fei Fei.