Market to adjust to needs of the elderly

China has taken another step to boost the consumption of elderly care services and improve the well-being of senior residents, with an official guideline setting out specific measures to promote products that better suit the needs of older consumers.

The guideline, released by 24 departments including the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce, put forward measures to enrich services not only for older people living in nursing facilities, but also for those staying at home.

The authorities should develop smart home-based care, and continue to grant tax incentives to providers of affordable meal services for seniors, the guideline said.

Meal services are offered in many regions, usually via schemes jointly run by the government and the private sector, to address the needs of older adults who have difficulty making their own meals.

The guideline also encourages all regions to promote services that help older adults take baths, develop a smart system and professionals that assist and accompany them when they go to hospital, as well as help domestic service companies develop new services for seniors staying at home.

It also reiterates support for local authorities in promoting the age-friendly renovation of senior people's homes and the purchase of relevant products.

According to a report released in October, more than 87 percent of seniors in China choose to stay at home, while only 7.7 percent choose to receive care at elderly care institutions, with another 4.9 percent choosing day care services.

The report, which was based on a nationwide survey conducted in 2021 by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and five other organizations, said about 60.7 percent of older people surveyed want to live with their children for a long time.

The wide preference for aging in place means older people usually receive less professional care than those in facilities, highlighting the demands for various devices to ensure their health, safety and comfort at home.

At an expo for elderly care and rehabilitation products in Beijing on Nov 30, a man ordered an adjustable bed for his 94-year-old father.

The 66-year-old Beijing resident, who wished to be identified only by his surname Zhou, said his father is living at home, and is in good health, but an adjustable bed is needed in case his ability to move is compromised.

"Otherwise it would require too much effort from us to help him get out of bed or turn him in bed," Zhou said.

A 38-year-old woman, whose surname is An, went to the expo to shop for a scooter for her 92-year-old grandma, whom she said is living in a rural area in Northeast China.

An said her family had bought an electric wheelchair for her grandma, but it is too heavy to carry and transport.

Therefore, she was looking for a four-wheeled scooter that is lighter, safe and comfortable, but also within the right price range, so that her grandma can get around more freely in the neighborhood and go on more trips.

China has intensified its efforts to meet such demands this year, with regions across the country launching their own programs to boost the elderly-friendly renovation of homes, as part of the nationwide campaign to promote the trade-in of consumer goods.

In a program Beijing launched in October, for example, a family with elderly members can apply for up to 5,000 yuan ($690) in subsidies for purchasing products such as bathroom safety bars, smart toilets, wheelchairs and nursing beds, as well as remodeling services for bathrooms and kitchens.

Seniors in Beijing and their families can purchase 40 kinds of products online or at brick-and-mortar stores, and they enjoy a wide range of choices, because the program doesn't require consumers to purchase from certain companies.

Companies making products for older consumers have reacted positively to the home renovation programs.

Zhang Zaiyu, general manager of Beijing Huakangyuan Medical Equipment Co, which sells equipment including canes and stair lifts, said his company has seen an increase in sales thanks to Beijing's program.

Wang Caixia, business development director of Rehasense, a company that produces wheelchairs and walking aids, said the renovation programs serve to increase the public's awareness of elderly care products, and encourage companies to innovate their offerings.

According to the guideline, the country will continue to issue promotional catalogs of products for seniors, and push for the growth of sectors making related products.

The guideline also welcomes supermarkets and shopping malls to set up special sections of products targeting older consumers, and said that every October will be designated "elderly care service consumption promotion month", where coupons and discounts will be offered.

Zhang said China has started to pay more attention to its aging population, and the policies it has introduced to stimulate consumer spending have strengthened business confidence.

Wang said: "The rapidly aging population in China is a serious issue, but also poses huge market potential for assistive device producers. We hope to catch this wave of the silver economy."

The guideline also urges communities to provide more elderly care services within the distance of a 15-minute walk. It encourages communities, if they are capable, to offer community-based care for residents with cognitive impairment, and suggests they set up stations to sell, rent and install relevant products, and offer services such as running errands and making customized elderly care plans for older residents.

It's a priority to assist old residential communities inhabited by a large proportion of senior people to install elevators, the guideline said, adding that more seats should be installed in urban public spaces for senior people to use.

Public transportation systems should be more elderly-friendly, it said, recommending all regions to introduce more buses with low floors and low entrances, and to operate a proper number of barrier-free cabs.

It also supports major ride-hailing platforms and financial institutions in making their services easier to use for older clients.

Du Peng, president of the School of Population and Health at Renmin University of China, said the country's older population is becoming healthier and more educated, and an increasing number of them are living alone, generating diverse consumption demands.

On the other hand, the development of many elderly care services is still at a "rudimentary stage", Du said.

"If the products and services remain the same as they were in the past,... it will be hard to unleash the potential of older people's consumption," he said.

Elderly care consumption must be based on quality products and services in order to be sustainable, Du said.

"But high quality doesn't necessarily mean a high price," the professor said, adding that a lack of affordability will pose obstacles to consumption.