Half of the 177 homes for seniors in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province have no doctors or nurses, according to the latest survey.

More than 90 percent of the homes can offer only basic housing and catering services, and only 10 percent can provide rehabilitation services.

Few of them provide recreational activities and none have individualized services.

Nanjing has now 800,000 people above the age of 60, 13.85 percent of the total.

A local welfare official said as more aged people come to retirement homes, a greater shortage of professional doctors, nurses and management staff will be experienced.

(Jinling Evening News September 14, 2005)