Elderly times

The latest group of Chinese aged 60 years and above has eldercare requirements that are different from previous generations.

Recently, a drama series aired on Tencent's video-sharing platform thrust stories of older people into the limelight through the retired lifestyle of two women from the post-1960 generation.

The pair, Wang Yutian and Yang Defu, respectively played by Li Lingyu and Mu Liyan, are key members of a square-dancing team in an urban community. As Wang and Yang work together to help their team claim the title in a local dance competition, a bond of close friendship is forged between them.

The 20-episode drama, titled Got Old Recently, shows how the two women and their peers actively embrace the growing digital society and how they deal with problems such as internet romance scams and the sale of counterfeit items.

It also touches upon trends, including older people's interest in buying products sold as having "positive effects on longevity", overconsumption of "blind boxes", as well as the differences between the elderly and their children, in their 20s or 30s, on how to nurture the family's next generation, using an exaggerated and ironic approach to create a comedic effect.

Li says she made the decision to star in the drama when she first read the script.

The story reminds her of the daily lives of her two sisters-in-law who, in their 60s, often dress up to go and take part in various activities with a group of elderly friends, such as traveling, singing karaoke and dancing on the square.

"They live such a colorful life. Wherever they go, cheers and laughter can be heard. I really like their positive attitude to life," says the 59-year-old actress.

Due to family-planning policy, a large number of couples from the post-1960 generation in China have just one child. At this point, these parents from single-child families are likely to face even more challenges in their old age than those having two or more children.

Li says she hopes that by presenting common problems confronting the elderly in using smart technologies or dealing with loneliness, the drama can prompt young people to visit their parents more frequently and give more care and love to seniors.

Li herself is a vibrant, self-disciplined woman who would like to keep learning new things and equip herself with new skills. As someone approaching 60, she expresses her eagerness to encourage more people of her age, and older, to work out a plan in advance to enrich their life.

"It's never too late to be better," she says. "Even when we are getting old, we can still play an active role in society through continued education and greater access to entertainment."

Ji Ping, co-producer of the drama series, points out that the post-1960 generation is becoming a group of creative older adults that is willing to express individuality and pursue emancipation. The elderly are a growing force among China's internet users.

In November 2020, the State Council, China's Cabinet, issued guidelines that called for a three-year campaign to help the elderly cross the digital divide and enjoy the fruits of intelligent technology.

"In response to the call for tackling the growing digital divide for the elderly, we hope that the drama can show viewers the difficulties elderly people face in a digital society, and young people are inspired to take greater care of the material and spiritual needs of their parents," says Ji.

"Then we can work together to help build a senior citizen-friendly society."