2017年CRI Elderly care highlighted at the NPC session

 

Deputy Jia Weiping from east China's Shanghai [Photo: China Plus]

China is ageing. The number of elderly people will reach 255 million, or 17.8 percent of the country's total population by 2020.

How best to provide better care for seniors has been one of the most intensely discussed topics among the lawmakers gathered in Beijing for the ongoing¹ major political meetings.

CRI's Fei Fei has more.

Often referred to as "square dancing" or "Dancing Grannies", the phenomenon of group aerobics² is all the rage in Chinese towns and cities. Driving forward this fitness craze is a huge number of older people who see it as a way of keeping healthy, but also as a means of meeting friends.

China currently has 230 million people over the age of 60, accounting³ for 16.7 percent of the total population. The proportion is growing due to decades of strict family planning policy and increased life expectancy⁴.

Meanwhile, elder-care services are far from sufficient across the country. There are just 30 nursing home beds per 1,000 elderly people.

So, the question of how to secure quality of life for seniors has turned into a main concern for Chinese society.

"My parents are in their mid-80s. It's better for them to live at home than in a nursing house. But health care is a problem. Could efficient medical services be provided if they were hit by a sudden illness?"

"My husband and I both have heart disease. Our children are busy with work. When we have difficulties, it is impossible to seek assistance from them. We're looking for a nursing home but to find those with suitable environment, equipment and health services is expensive."

The government has got the message loud and clear.

In fact, elder-care is one of the key topics at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Premier⁵ Li Keqiang shed some light on the issue when he delivered the government work report at the opening ceremony of the NPC session.

"We will launch a new round of trials for comprehensive reform in the service sector⁶, and support the non-governmental sector in providing education, elderly care, healthcare and other services. We will encourage the development of new service models and cross-sectoral integration⁷, combined medical and elderly care services…"

The report was closely reviewed by NPC deputies, with many making constructive⁸ suggestions on how to provide better care for older people.

Deputy Jia Weiping is the president of the Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital. She called for a widening and strengthening of service teams through professional training.

"People who are willing to help seniors, for example volunteers and social workers, can all be included in the team and trained. The community can provide a platform, inviting⁹ doctors and geriatric specialists to give professional training. A consistent and established plan is very important."

Deputy Shen Zhigang from east China's Shanghai [Photo: China Plus]

Deputy Shen Zhigang, a professor with Shanghai Jiaotong University, suggested the social care market should be opened up to private companies to give senior citizens more options.

"There are a large number of senior people who are basically or completely unable to take care of themselves. The existing institutions and communities could not provide enough services for them. This is a problem that cannot be resolved by the government alone. The government should mobilize private capital in developing elderly care institutions by offering tax incentives¹⁰ and financial support."

Shen's suggestion is a key focus for the government.

According to the five-year plan released by the State Council early this month, private capital and non-governmental organizations will be given greater access to the elderly care market. By 2020, elderly care beds provided by governments should account for no more than 50 percent of the total.

The Chinese authorities also plan to streamline¹¹ the approval process for elderly care institutions.

For CRI, this is Fei Fei.

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 aerobics   

n.健身操，健美操，韵律操

参考例句：

• Doing aerobics is a good way to improve one's health.做有氧健身操是改善健康状况的一个好方法。
• Aren't you going to the aerobics class this morning?今天上午你不是去上有氧运动课吗？

3 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

4 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

5 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

8 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

9 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

10 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

11 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。