BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The population structure and digital technology are accelerating the development of China's elderly care service industry, said Tang Jinsu, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, at a forum held recently.
Statistics showed that the country's elderly population aged 60 and above had reached 254 million by the end of 2019, accounting for 18.1 percent of the total.
At present, China's elderly care service industry is developing rapidly, but lacks need-oriented and effective supply, said Tang Jinsu, adding that it is in urgent need for the government to unveil and improve the mid- and long-term plan for the elderly care service industry.
Yang Zhiming, president of the China Association for Labour Studies, held that the development of elderly care service industry calls for efforts to guide supply via demand and create new demand via supply. At present, employees in the industry lack the sense of gain. Meanwhile, elderly care training should also be strengthened.
Qian Peixin, chairman of the Zhejiang Hekang Medical Group, said that the "Internet plus Nursing Services" has witnessed rapid development during the outbreak of the COVID-19, met the medical needs of community-based elderly care and achieved good results. Moreover, Internet medical care and telemedicine will provide better solutions for home-based elderly care in the future.
Tang Jinsu suggested that efforts should be made to expand the coverage of welfare policies for the elderly, connect the actual demand of the elderly with community service networks, professional service organizations and elderly care institutions, optimize the business environment, promote the integration of medical care and elderly care as well as the development of smart elderly care, with an aim to lay a solid foundation for the growth of modern elderly care service industry. (Edited by Zhang Yuan with Xinhua Silk Road, zhangyuan11@xinhua.org)
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