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Age of readiness

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-27 08:36

Yesterday was the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, a day to pay tribute to elders. The Chinese believe that old age is like golden autumn, and worth spending with dignity and care. However, the golden years can be miserable without enough care and respect from the society.

In a meeting held over the weekend on the strategy for dealing with the growing number of seniors, how to better take care of them was described by central government officials as a matter of significance to the future of this country.

Age of readiness

Latest statistics show that the number of people above the 60 has reached 162 million, and accounting for 12.79 percent of the population, much higher than the United Nations' threshold of 10 percent for an aging society.

The disintegration of traditional families in recent decades, in which two, three or even four generations live under the same roof and old people were dependent on their children, has made it imperative for a society to take up the job.

The number of seniors is on the rise from this year, according to statistics. Eight to 9 million people attain 60 each year, and it is estimated that the population of the elderly people will reach 248 million by 2020 - 17 percent of the total population; and, the figure will jump to 437 million in 2050 - about 30 percent of the population.

Doubtless, the challenge is great for the country to prepare a social security net, including health care and other services, for this section.

It is estimated that two and half working people will have to provide for one retired person by the year 2020. So how to accumulate enough wealth and optimize the pension system for the elderly remains a hard job.

As is known, a good percentage of the elderly suffer from chronic diseases and the health care resources they need are estimated to be twice the average for the entire population. Statistics show that about 32.5 million elderly people need permanent care of different kinds. The number of beds in homes for the elderly is far from enough to meet the need. About 50 percent of old urban couples live alone and their rural counterparts make up about 40 percent, according to statistics.

Traditionally, the Chinese believe that life for the elderly should be without any worry. However, the problems cited suggest that more effort is required to provide enough for the elderly at present and prepare for an even larger aging population in the years ahead.

So the importance of efforts to be made by the State and society cannot be over-emphasized.

Apart from getting materially prepared, we must also instill in the younger generation the awareness that it is a virtue to take good care of the elderly. We also need enough legal codes to guarantee the rights and interests of the elderly.

Everybody can become old. We need a culture and system that guarantees respect and care for the elderly.