Cai Yingbo
MORE than 1,500 senior citizens were waiting for vacancies in old folks’ home as the population above age 60 had increased by 30 percent in three years, according to a meeting organized by the municipal committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
The number of elderly people is expected to reach 800,000 by 2010. Of these, 200,000 would be Shenzhen hukou (permanent residence permit) holders, according to figures released by the city’s statistics bureau.
“More than 180,000 people moved to Shenzhen between 1980 and 1985. Most of them were young people in their 30s, but now they are elderly people,” said Li Ding, chairman of the municipal senior citizens’ association.
Unlike other cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, Shenzhen is a migrant city and many senior citizens come here to live with their children.
The city now has 520,000 senior citizens including 120,000 with Shenzhen hukou.
Li Zhangwei, 72, a retired public servant from Hubei Province, is one of them. Li moved to Shenzhen three years ago and is now living with his son. He was trying to be admitted to an old forks’ home that would also offer medical treatment, after he came down with an illness last year.
“The applicants used to be those who had no children or lived on government subsidies, but now the pattern has changed. Many applicants are retired public servants and company executives,” said Li.
Shenzhen has 29 old folks homes, providing 2,797 beds.
As early as 2003, only one-third of the beds were occupied. The rate increased to 64 percent in 2006 and now, more than 1,500 elderly people were waiting for vacancies, according to Yu Huihong, vice chairman of the municipal committee of the CPPCC.
Luo Hongying, director of the welfare center in Luohu District, said about 400 seniors in the district were waiting for vacancies and most of them were in financial difficulties and could not take care of themselves in everyday life.
“We have tried to squeeze more beds into a three-bed room, but there are still many people waiting. It is necessary for the government to establish more elderly homes,” said Luo.
Ge Ming, vice head of the municipal civil affairs bureau, said it was necessary for the government to produce a long-term development plan for an elderly care system of management. Ge encouraged more social organizations and private investors to become involved.