GUANGDONG Province abolished an old regulation on the market access of elderly care institutions to boost the development of the industry, local civil affairs authorities said Monday.

A registration and filing system will be put into practice to replace the previous license system, which has been implemented since December 20, 2014, to lower the threshold for setting up elderly care institutions. Social sectors are encouraged to participate in the industry.

The provincial department of civil affairs will issue relevant policy documents on the registration and supervision of elderly care institutions, to further promote services for the aged in Guangdong.

China saw an improved elderly care system, with 163,800 elderly care institutions and facilities offering 7.46 million beds for senior citizens, as of the end of 2018.

A raft of measures are being taken to accelerate the development of the elderly care service industry, including fully opening the elderly care market by 2020.

Also, the country is paying more attention to elderly care services.

In April, the State Council General Office released a regulation to improve elderly care services and meet the multilevel and diverse needs of the aged.

The regulation, with six sections and 28 measures, stresses the need to establish a supervision system on elderly care services, deepen reform of public-funded elderly care organs, and improve precise investment by the government.

The regulation requires the extending of channels for investing and financing, and achieving expanding employment and entrepreneurship.

A system will be formed to recognize the skill of caregivers and provide them with more education and training opportunities, it says.

It also demands the protection of the elderly’s rights and interests, while dealing with illegal fund-raising in the elderly care sector.

Efforts should be made to advance high-quality elderly care and improve elderly care facilities, it adds. (Xinhua)