Financing elderly people's long‐term care needs: Evidence from China
Population aging has become a serious issue in China. Recent census data indicate that people aged 65 years or older accounted for 119 million (8.9% of China's total population) in 2010 and it is projected to triple to 371 million by 2050. The rapid aging of the population has brought about social and economic impacts, including reduced labour supply and increased financial burden on the tax base, social security, and people's personal savings. Additionally, as the social care service system is still not comprehensive, the burden of care on families is getting heavier. Given the size of its population and the growth of its elderly members, China faces a major challenge in addressing the long‐term care (LTC) needs of its demography. The central government has issued a series of policies and measures in recent years, an elderly care system that offers a comprehensive range of services in both rural and urban areas, which is financially supported by individuals, families, communities, and care institutions. In addition, the government is gradually establishing a LTC insurance (LTCI) system. In September . . . . read more
Personal guardianship by volunteers in the Netherlands, possibilities and challenges, presented in Seoul
The number of guardianship measures for adults in the Netherlands at the moment is about 350.000 and increasing with 20.000 each year. Most of these measures only deal with supporting the adult in taking care of his financial interests, in representing him and protecting his financial interests. Each year Dutch courts appoint about 7.500 personal guardians, preferably family members. The measures concern care decisions. But in absence of suitable family members, volunteers can be appointed. In lots of cases one of the eleven regional organisations for volunteer personal guardians (RSM) is appointed and a volunteer with a mandate from the RSM is carrying out the measure. Both the volunteers and the RSM have to meet several quality requirements for example yearly reports to the court. The activities of the RSM are aimed at an adequate intake of the volunteer, matching the volunteer with an adult client and training, supporting and supervising the volunteer as much as needed. The RSM trains and supports also family members. All the efforts of the RSM are directed towards maximising and improving the quality of life of the client and realising the best care possible. In line with the CRPD these personal guardians are trained to use their legal authority as a last resort and only if the client himself is unable to make his own care decisions. The overall education, skills, live experience and commitment in time and energy of the volunteers (human capital) enables the RSM to be appointed for adults in so called ‘complex’ cases. The challenges nowadays and the borders of what a RSM can achieve, deal with clients in prisons or forensic institutions and clients in situations where they themselves or their family members stiffly resist in cooperating with the volunteer.
Why universities for the elderly are booming in China
Several times a year, groups of silver-haired Chinese people camp out overnight. They do so in order to get prime spots to register for places at the country’s universities for the elderly. Since 1983, when China’s first such school opened, 70,000 more have cropped up across the country. They offer courses in pursuits like dancing, online shopping or English for would-be-travellers, as well as in more traditional academic disciplines. Last year these universities enrolled a combined 8m students—just over 3% of China’s cohort of over-60s. At the Shanghai University for the Elderly, the average age of students is 65-70
The idea of a university for the elderly is not new. The University of the Third Age movement, named for the final third of life, began in France in 1973. It then spread across Europe and became especially popular in Britain. China’s first elderly universities were aimed at veteran Communist Party cadres. Today some of the schools are reserved for retired civil servants, but others are open to all. Most are government-funded; the average cost of fees is 200 yuan . . . . read more in The Economist
China Focus: Chinese elderly enjoy smart care products
Zhang Yongqing, 90, calls himself an inventor. An electric wheelchair he modified was a hit at this year's International Elderly Care Service Industry Exhibition held in Beijing in May. Equipped with lithium batteries, the modified wheelchairs can travel up to 40 kilometers on a full charge. "I have registered a patent for my wheelchair. More than 1,000 units have been sold," Zhang said while driving his two-seater electric wheelchair to hand out product brochures in the exhibition hall. Zhang was a mechanic at a water pump factory before he retired in 1988. He started inventing in 2005 when his now deceased wife had some trouble walking and had to rely on wheelchairs. "I was 77 years old at that time and it was hard for me to push her wheelchair," said Zhang. "I started to modify traditional wheelchairs so that they could help her get on or off buses by herself." Zhang's invention is just one of the thousands of elderly-friendly products ranging from oral cleaning to assistance devices at the exhibition, which attracted more than 300 companies, institutions, and social organizations from 20 countries and regions. Artificial intelligent (AI) products and facilities for elderly care like escort robots and physical examination robots gained attention at the exhibition. "It has become fashionable for elderly Chinese to buy and use the latest AI care products," said Zhang. According to a survey on the living conditions of elderly Chinese, 65.6 percent of the respondents have bought senior care products like dentures or adult diapers. By the end of 2017, the number of people aged 60 or above had reached 241 million in China, accounting for 17.3 percent of the total population. Since China first became an aging society in 1999, the number of people aged 60 or above has seen a net increase of 110 million. It is estimated that the number of seniors will peak around 2050 to reach 487 million, 34.9 percent of the total population. Attracted by huge demand in China market, Yoshiaki Ito, general manager of Nichii Shanghai Company, aimed to provide customized services for Chinese seniors. "I attend the senior care service exhibition every year to learn about the latest care products worldwide," said Zhang. "These products indeed help a lot in improving our quality of care." Many elderly also agreed that they should not fully depend on the smart care products, and care from their companion or family members is the main determinant of how happy their life is. "I cannot imagine a robot helping me take a bath or turn over in bed. It is cold and indifferent," said a visitor surnamed Liang at the exhibition. "These AI facilities and products can help take care of us, but care from our family matters a lot," said Liang. As he left the exhibition hall, Zhang said he will continue inventing. "The process of invention and . . . . . read more
Hohhot provides preferential canteen for elderly
A canteen was recently opened in Xincheng district, Hohhot specializing nutritious and preferential meals for the elderly in local communities. Local elderly people can receive cards deposited with governmental subsidies. The canteen offers breakfast and lunch at a much lower price than market price. As of the end of January 2017, there were 76,000 people aged 80 or above in Hohhot, accounting for 16.35 percent of the elderly population in Inner Mongolia. Some of Hohhot communities have encountered an aging issue, and most of them are from low-income and disadvantaged families. The canteen offers the meal service and brings . . . . read more
China is aging faster than elsewhere
China is an aging society. In 2055 the number of people aged over 60 in China will increase to 478 million or 33% of the population. In comparison, in the Netherlands this will rise to 25% in 2050. By 2050 China will have 65 million more elderly people than the rest of the world together. China is aging faster than elsewhere: within 45 years China has become an aging society, whereas in the rest of the world it has lasted about 200 years. Shanghai is one of the fastest aging cities, with 22% of the population now aged over 60, far above the national average of 14%. Demographic research shows that the aging of the population in rural areas will be most drastic if the migration to the big cities continues to develop according to expectations. In China, the one-child policy also leads to a sharper decline in the growth of the labor force than elsewhere. At micro level, it means that when the parents of the single-child generation (’80 -) retire, the children will have the responsibility for 4 grandparents on their shoulders. Nowadays people can also have two children, but they often do not choose this. People are used to a 1-child family and the costs of raising a child are very high. The care for the elderly is one of the spearheads of the Chinese government. There is still a lot of work to be done in this. On October 13, 2018, I was invited to Guangzhou Congress at the Guangdong Medical Association as a guest speaker on care for the elderly. Guangdong is the largest province in the world (110 million inhabitants), Guangzhou (Canton) is the capital and is ten times larger than Berlin. My approach was broader than elderly care. I have chosen to talk more about older people’s policies: how do you create cities where . . . . read more
