Zhang Qian
zhqcindy@163.com
THE growth of the aging population is becoming an urgent problem for Shenzhen, although the city is regarded as the youngest metropolis in China. The city government is trying to cope with the emerging issue by investing more in the sector.
The Shenzhen Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau announced yesterday that all nursing homes in Shenzhen were expected to have medical clinics by the year 2020.
The concept of embedding medical clinics in nursing homes for the elderly was not raised until 2010 when the Luohu Welfare Center first established a clinic for the elderly in April 2010. The center set up 30 normal sickbeds and 10 hospice beds with 43 medical staff to care for the seniors living at the center.
According to the municipal civil affairs bureau’s welfare center section, Shenzhen now has 34 nursing homes for the elderly, 10 of which already have medical clinics. Also, 36 community health-care clinics signed deals with day-care centers for seniors that provide professional medical services.
To incorporate medical clinics into the nursing homes is a mode that can provide comprehensive services for the elderly, said Wu Peiru, director of the Luohu Welfare Center. “The medical service can improve the elderly’s quality of life and make them happier,” said Wu.
A 70-year-old resident, known as Jin, has lived in the welfare center for more than a year. Although her family was previously living with her in Shenzhen, Jin’s working children could hardly care for her because of their jobs.
Thus, Jin decided to move into the nursing home at the Luohu Welfare Center where medical staff are available to take care of her health conditions as well as help her with her daily routine.
Shenzhen has pledged to meet the demands of the increasing number of aged people. It was announced that during the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020), the city would emphasize the development of 10 major projects for the aging population and provide 3,000 more beds for seniors by 2020.
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