(Ecns.cn) – Elderly care is becoming a heavy burden for Chinese society, especially as the country is now ageing at a fast pace. In 2011, the elderly population reached 178 million, with more than 13 out of every 100 people being over the age of 60.
As the elderly were celebrating the traditional Double Ninth Festival or Senior's Day in early October, the smiles on their faces were overshadowed with the issues related to senior citizens.
Since 1999, China has stepped into a period of ageing society. The elderly population will continue to increase at a rate of 8.6 million per year in the future. It is expected that the number of elderly over the age of 60 will reach 460 million by 2051, twice that of the young population.
Burdensome future for children
According to the latest statistics of the Sixth National Population Census, China's total population hit 1.339 billion in 2011, with 13.26% being elderly over the age of 60. As the country with the most elderly people in the world, many children may face a burdensome future.
A nuclear family of three has been the dominant family structure in China after the introduction of the one-child family planning policy. With more and more only children entering into their thirties, a so-called "4-2-1" family structure which includes four grandparents, two parents, and one child is quickly gaining prevalence in major Chinese cities.
In China, the tradition of taking care of the parents is seen as an important part of filial piety. Under such a condition, what awaits the current only children is probably a burdensome future. Once they become young couples, they have to take good care of their four parents and one child.
The child-care is a comparatively easy thing because all six adult family members can take turns to look after the "one child," which significantly relieves the pressure. However, the "four grandparents" may emerge as a heavy burden.
40-year-old Mr. Zhang is a typical case, as he does not have any siblings. He said after his child began to go to school, he started to feel great economic pressure from his parents and parents-in-law. Either by sending them to nursing homes or by keeping them at home, he could only ensure a life where the basic needs were satisfied for them.
Yan Qingchun, deputy director of China's National Working Commission on Aging, pointed out that the current pressure on care for the elderly mainly originates from two difficult situations: the baby boom and increasing empty nests. According to a survey of 22 cities, 49.7% of the elderly live as empty nesters in China, and such a trend is picking up rapidly.
Xu Lei, who works for China Business, said he is not facing such a burden right now, but he is already worried about the issue. As a media worker, Xu lives a busy life. Therefore, he is thinking about sending his parents to nursing homes when they retire, where he believes they can get better care. However, this also requires a certain level of economic strength.
