Editorials

Op-Ed Contributors

Chinese Press

Columnists

LETTERS

Age of challenges

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-08-28 08:00

As we mark the 10th anniversary of China's entry into an aging society with elderly people (above 60) being 10 percent of its population, here is one more fact that the government cannot ignore: 8 million people, instead of little over 3 million 10 years ago, will touch 60 every year.

As a result, the number of people who are too old to take care of themselves is also rapidly increasing. Investigations show that the number of empty-nest families (homes with only old aged couples) accounts for nearly 50 percent of all urban families on average, and the percentage of such families in rural areas exceeds 40 percent.

The central and local governments must make plans to meet the various needs that can help take good care of the elderly. The government, at the central and local level, has done a great deal to help the aged spend their remaining years in reasonable comfort with options for activities. For example, more than 36,000 "college"-type centers of education and recreation for seniors have been set up nationwide to meet the needs of those who want to educate themselves further; and, the number enrolled in these centers is more than 4 million.

Related readings:  Shanghai encourages aging population to have 2nd baby  Work-ridden youth caught up in aging China  Youth feel pressure of looking after aging parents

The increasingly large percentage of the elderly people is not necessarily a burden. Of course, the larger this population is and the longer these people live, the more money a society will need to pay pensions for them. Yet their existence has helped create a lot of jobs.

As thousands of people are working in the more than 400 universities for the elderly, more such universities will be needed as this population grows. Other facilities such as homes for the elderly and companies providing household services for families with only old couples will create a lot of jobs, and relieve pressure on job market.

Besides, as investment in homes for the elderly is necessary, society should be prepared to accept how important it is for the elderly to receive the care and attention they need, and also pay for it. Young people may need to do voluntary work at homes for the elderly so that they can develop the awareness of taking care of the elderly.

China has a tradition of holding the elderly in great reverence. Performing the duty of taking good care of one's aged parents has been considered the primary responsibility of a decent person. But nowadays, it is unrealistic for the family of a young couple who are the only child of their parents to look after two elderly couples as their parents did for their grandparents, or their grandparents for their great-grandparents.

So what we need is social services geared to this situation to provide for the needs of the elderly. To make such services adequate, available and of high quality in both urban and rural areas in the near future is something that needs to figure high on the agenda at all levels of government.

(China Daily 08/28/2009 page8)