Tianjin will add 50,000 beds at old-age care institutions during the 13th “Five Year Plan” (2016-20), providing one for 40 elderly out of every 1,000 as the city moves into a silver society.
According to the Tianjin Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, 30 out of every 1,000 old people over 60 had beds at such institutions in the city over the 2010-2015 period, surpassing the national average.
To foster an enjoyable environment for theaged, the authorities have built a comprehensive service system combining home care, community care and nursing home care.
Traditionally, most elderly Chinese stay with their families, according to earlier media reports. For those people, guide and service centers are set up in each community to offer advice and help with cleaning, medical treatment, psychological care, legal consulting and emergency services.
Day care centers were also set up to offer meals and drinks for the elderly and recreational centers allow them to relax.
Liu Yunling is approaching 80 and lives in the Tianjin Old People’s Home. She said that her life there is colorful and satisfactory. Besides joining a reading club, she also travels to places nearby with other old people.
Seventy-eight-year-old Mr. Li lives in the Wangyuanli Community in the Nankai District of Tianjin, and spends his days at the nearby Wangyuan nursing home, reading newspapers, chatting with old friends and having meals at reasonable prices.
China's population of older people, generally defined at 60 and above, has increased rapidly in recent years. The number will reach 221 million by the end of 2015, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, encouraging the development of the elderly care industry.
Tianjin will add 50,000 beds at old-age care institutions during the 13th “Five Year Plan” (2016-20), providing one for 40 elderly out of every 1,000 as the city moves into a silver society.
