China's elderly gaining an increasing sense of happiness

The elderly people in China have gained an increasing sense of happiness while reducing loneliness in recent years thanks to the nation's continuous efforts to bettering public services and caring for the elderly, as a social-economic advancement.

The China Research Center on Aging recently published a blue book focusing on the psychological health situation of China's elderly people. The study included in the blue book was based on the sample survey of the nation's elderly aged 60 and above in 2021 by several departments including the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The study gives the result that the elderly saw their sense of loneliness reducing in 2021 compared with that in 2015 — when the previous sample survey among the elderly was performed.

About a quarter of the nation's elderly people — 23.76 percent, felt lonely in 2021 while the number was 36.6 percent back in 2015. Their loneliness mainly came from marriage status, financial situation and health conditions. For example, the elderly in widowhood and living alone usually feel lonely and those in worse financial situations have a stronger sense of loneliness.

The frequency of engaging in social events or cultural amusement activities, also personal views of aging also have impacts on the elderly's loneliness feelings, the study said.

The blue book also points out that the mental or psychological public services remain insufficient, especially in the countryside. The elderly have weaker awareness of their psychological health and may feel shame for themselves when suffering from psychological problems.

China has seen an increasing aging population in recent years. Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show that by the end of 2023, the nation has 297 million people aged 60 and above, accounting for over one-fifth of the total population.