The number of seniors in China is rising fast, with an annual
growth of 3.2 percent, according to the latest official data.
More than 132 million seniors were living in China at the end of
last year, making them the world's largest ageing community. They
now make up 10 percent of China's population.
Experts said the number of gray-haired citizens in China will make
up 25 percent of the nation's population by 2040, which means one
out of every four people in China will likely be a grandparent.
Unlike Japan or the United States, which is confronting the aging
issue with the advantage of a well-developed economy and welfare
system, China has to figure out how to jump-start reform of its
shabby welfare system and then carry through with those
reforms.
"The state alone cannot do the trick. Taking care of the elderly
should become a public agenda, which means non-state investment and
services should be involved," said Mu Guangzong, a senior expert on
the ageing society in China.
Beijing is striving to nurture a caring system based on a local
community. The challenge is encouraging private investment in a
neighborhood to offer services to the elderly.
"Compared with welfare houses struggling for meager state funding,
community care centers are run at lower cost, offer more services
and are more affordable and efficient," said Yan Qingchun, a
Ministry of Civil Affairs official in charge of welfare for the
elderly.
Such a center on Caixiang Street in downtown Suzhou, east China's
Jiangsu Province, is a case in point.
On
a gloriously sunny morning, 75-year-old Luo Tongxu took a deep
breath before whipping the bumper to hit a tiny ball in the court,
a game he dubbed "mini-golf."
"Nice shot!" his 72-year-old wife said while gesturing her husband
to take another.
This is just the start of another busy day for the elderly couples.
After sports, they will eat, take a stroll and head for the library
to read the latest news before attending a choir in the
afternoon.
"I
feel great," said Luo, dressed in a white Nike jacket and cap. "I
have gotten to know many good pals who can exchange gossip on
football, the terrorist attacks and local opera."
Luo and his wife are among 76 people between the ages of 60 and 97
living in the senior citizen apartment building on Caixiang
Street.
The apartment, opened in 1997, offers a 24-hour elderly caring
center. Services include daily nursing, health care and recreation
to make sure the gray-haired members can enjoy the rest of their
lives. A member is charged 600 yuan (US$72) a month.
Unlike welfare houses funded by the state budget, the apartment was
built with 1.5 million yuan (US$180,722), from the local
neighborhood and limited subsidies from local authorities.
"We hope this can blaze a new trail in the elderly-care business in
China. By encouraging a neighborhood to get deeply involved in such
a cause, it can help keep China's rapidly expanding population
under control," said Zhang Qinqin, a top civil affairs official in
Jinchang District of Suzhou.
After four years of operation, the center finally secured a
financial balance last year and is expected to recoup its first
profit this year.
The money will be used to renovate the facilities and expand the
apartment building, some of the investors said.
More updated services are possible, including a high-tech caring
call service. The service works like this: The elderly wear a
gadget similar to a beeper and press it when they feel sick or need
help. Since it is hooked up to the staff's offices, workers will
come to their aid within 15 minutes.
"I
felt relieved when consigning the care of my father to the center
earlier this year," said Huang Manting, 34. "I used to worry a lot
about my dad when I was not with him. I cannot care for him
personally as I have to work."
Now Huang can pick her dad up from the center every day after work.
"The services are good, and I trust the staff," Huang said.
(China
Daily 10/22/2001)