国内英语资讯:Xi Focus: Caring for the elderly_时事

国内英语资讯:Xi Focus: Caring for the elderly

In 2017, a four-year campaign was launched nationwide to boost nursing homes' service quality. More rules and regulations on the management of elderly care institutions have also been drawn up.

At Sijiqing, a lot of cultural activities were organized. A "Silver Age" college was set up. And the nursing home teamed up with a local hospital to provide fast access for senior citizens to quality medical treatment.

"It's really convenient now," said Zhang Jin, a Sijiqing nursing home resident.

IMPROVED COMMUNITY-LEVEL SERVICES

Another field of senior care that has benefited a lot from policy support is community-level services.

Community-based elderly care is important to China's old-age care system. About 90 percent of the Chinese elderly prefer to spend their later years at home, 6 percent at community-level elderly care centers and only 4 percent at nursing homes, according to statistics.

But community-level elderly care centers also play a key role in providing food and medical services to senior citizens who opt to stay at home.

Liu Jianguo, 86, and his wife are among the people who benefit.

The couple, living in the southeastern city of Fuzhou, go to the community elderly daycare center almost every day.

"My wife and I usually spend the whole day here," Liu said, praising the center for its environment, facilities and staff.

Across China, all urban communities and more than half of rural communities had established community-based old-age service facilities as of the end of 2018.