China has built a comprehensive elderly care system and expanded support for its aging population during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in efforts to ensure inclusive services, social participation, and age-friendly living.
So far, the country operates 86,000 elderly canteens nationwide to provide daily meals for seniors as it has been rapidly expanding home and community-based care services.
Subsidies for seniors with moderate or severe disabilities have been extended to tens of millions of households, ensuring targeted support for those most in need.
Meanwhile, tens of millions of senior volunteers are contributing actively to community development and rural revitalization, adding what officials call "silver power" to Chinese modernization.
Over the past five years, the country has accelerated the development of a three-tier elderly care network covering both urban and rural areas, fueling the rise of a silver economy now worth trillions of yuan.
"We adhere to advancing both elderly care services and related industries. On one hand, we are expanding inclusive elderly care to ensure everyone has access to basic services. On the other hand, we are vigorously developing the silver economy by creating new business models, products, and scenarios covering seniors' needs in clothing, food, housing, transport, health and leisure. At the same time, we are also cultivating new economic growth drivers in meeting the elderly's urgent needs and improving their well-being," said Huang Shengwei, head of the aging work department from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan, China released a list of national basic elderly care services, providing institutional guarantees for universal service access.
More than 1.07 billion people are covered by basic pension insurance and 2.24 million homes of seniors with special difficulties have been renovated for age-friendliness.
In addition, consumption subsidies have been distributed to seniors with disabilities at the national level for the first time during the 2021-2025 period.
Moreover, the country's elderly care service system has been further improved, with over 406,000 care institutions now in place nationwide. Notably, 64.6 percent of beds in the institutions are nursing beds - surpassing the 55 percent target set in the plan ahead of schedule.
The integration of home, community, and institutional care has enabled more seniors to enjoy meal delivery, bathing, and medical assistance services conveniently within their communities.
"Our community's elderly services are really good. They bring us light meals, help with cleaning. It's lucky for us seniors to live in this era," said Cao Xiuxin, a senior resident in Changsha City, central China's Hunan Province.
During the past five year, China has also expanded support for seniors' social participation as cultural and sports facilities, as well as tourist attractions, have become more age-friendly and offer free or discounted access to seniors.
More than 68,000 elderly education centers now provide convenient learning opportunities, while the national information platform encourages seniors to continue contributing to society.
China expands elderly care system, boosts silver economy during 14th Five-Year Plan
