Guizhou aims to improve senior services

The development of Guizhou's senior services has maintained momentum, officials said at the press conference held in Guiyang, capital city of Guizhou province, on Dec 29.

By international standards, a country or region is considered to be an "aging society" when those aged 65 or over account for seven to 14 percent of the total population. Guizhou's elderly population has been increasing rapidly since it became an "aging society" in 2003. Statistics show that in Guizhou, the population aged 60 or over is about 554,000, accounting for 15.59 percent of the total.

To alleviate the effects of its "aging society", Guizhou has taken measures to improve its senior services system and policies. The province has built 4,200 rural courtyards to provide meals, entertainment, and other services to the elderly in villages and towns. In cities, 1,051 senior service centers and 369 daytime care centers in various communities provide services and support for elders.

"Influenced by smaller family sizes and the outflow of labor forces, aging people in Guizhou living by themselves has become a serious problem," said Luo Ning, head of Guizhou's provincial civil affairs department. "It is also an opportunity for Guizhou to develop the senior service industry."

With the help of a moderate climate, favorable eco-environment, and good public transportation, the province plans to build itself into a national base for senior service.

The province is currently seeking investments from large State-owned enterprises and professional senior service companies. It is requesting loans of $350 million and 100 million euros ($120 million) from the World Bank and the French Development Agency, respectively, to support the development of senior services, specifically the implementation of an intelligent big data platform for the industry.