Eldercare model reflects wisdom of society

Editor's note: Living in a fast-aging society, senior citizens are coming up with new ideas to care for themselves. For instance, 13 senior citizens have chosen to live as a group (baotuan yanglao) in the suburbs of Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. Four experts share their views on the issue with China Daily's Liu Jianna. Excerpts follow:

65 should be the new 60

Emerging elderly care models, including baotuan yanglao, attest to the wisdom of a society trying to help a special group of people in a fast-aging country without enough eldercare resources. According to the Office of the National Committee on Aging, the number of people aged 60 or above is expected to reach 487 million, accounting for 34.9 percent of China's total population by 2050. Yet baotuan yanglao only suits those senior citizens who are relatively well off and fit. Which means eldercare for the poor and physically challenged remains a government responsibility.