China Faces Challenges in Old-Age Support

China Faces Challenges In Old-Age Support

China will face challenges to old-age support for urban only-child families, rural residents and those who are held up by senile dementia, according to a seminar on population aging held in Beijing in October 1999. Middle-aged experts and researchers attended the seminar, the first of its kind ever held in China.

Urban only-child families

Parents of the first generation of only-children are becoming old. Adult only-children in urban areas find themselves on the horns of a dilemma: career prospects on one hand and increasingly heavy burden with old-age support on the other. In the future, an adult couple has to support four parents and one child. Furthermore, with rising costs for child rearing - including cost of education -and medical care, the financial burden on the couple is formidable.

Participants emphasized the importance of stronger social support for the elderly. To do that, however, concerted efforts are needed from all circles.

Rural residents

Old-age support in rural areas was the focus of discussions at the seminar.

Development of a social support system in rural areas is still in the primary stage, due to the low level of rural economic development and the ongoing transition from the traditional to a market economy.

Population aging will be more serious in rural than urban areas in the 21st century.
Family support capabilities are weakened due to marked downsizing of rural families.
The low level of income in rural areas will increase the burden on family support of the elderly.
Except for social relief for the childless, most rural senior residents are not covered by the social safety net. Furthermore, management of the old-age support system in rural areas is not well-regulated.

Senile dementia patients

Senile dementia is a common disease for senior citizens. By the middle of the 21st century, incidence of that disease will rank the third highest, next only to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and cancer, posing a great threat to the health of the elderly. Meanwhile, caring for these people becomes a big problem for families psychologically and economically. Surveys show that 60% of the care-providers confess that caring for these patients constitutes a heavy burden on themselves and their family, with their normal life seriously disrupted.

The researchers believe that caring for senile dementia victims should be included in the social security system for old-age support. Recommendations include establishing old-age service centers and training professional nurses. They also believe old-age support is a promising industry in China.