Authorities mull law for ailing seniors

China is planning to establish a legal framework to boost elderly care targeting seniors with disabilities to meet surging demands in a rapidly aging society, said Lu Zhiyuan, minister of civil affairs.

Official data shows that China has about 35 million disabled elderly, who make up 11.6 percent of the nation’s elderly population. That number is expected to climb to 46 million by 2035 and 58 million by 2050, he said in a report delivered to an ongoing session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee this weeky.

The incidence rate of chronic diseases among the elderly is four times that of the total population, and on average, the elderly live over eight years after being diagnosed.

To assist them better, Lu said that China has constructed more elderly care facilities and has issued subsidies for them in the past decade.

By the end of last year, the proportion of nursing beds among all beds at elderly care homes nationwide had risen to about 59 percent, and 67 percent of all seniors admitted into these homes live with disabilities.

Meanwhile, nearly 3.67 million older adults who live alone and have severe diseases, disabilities or other difficulties can now receive stable assistance and support from the government, and about 5.63 million seniors who are struggling financially are eligible to receive nursing care or elderly care subsidies.MDT/China Daily