China releases 5-year plan on elderly care

BEIJING -- China has released a five-year plan on elderly care for the 2021-2025 period, aiming to boost the health of the country's aging population.

According to the plan, over 78 percent of China's senior population has at least one chronic disease and the number of incapacitated elderly individuals continues to grow, calling for more relevant institutions, personnel, services and policies to meet the demand of the elderly.

It pledges efforts to improve the preventive health service system for the elderly, reducing or delaying the occurrence of disability and dementia.

It underlines the accelerated development of barrier-free environments, elderly friendly renovations of residential buildings, and the installation of automated external defibrillators at public venues.

The plan lays out concrete measures to enhance medical services for the elderly, improve the coordination of elderly home care and institutional services, and promote the application of traditional Chinese medicine in elderly care.