Role of villages

Liu Nina, an associate professor at North China Electric Power University, said one of the highlights of the guideline is its recommendation of village-based entities such as mutual-support stations and happiness homes.

Many regions in the country have implemented this form of elderly care, which has been promoted in other policy documents, including the No 1 Central Document for 2021.

According to media reports, more than 1,000 "rural mutual support elderly care stations" have been established in Jiangsu province, and Shandong province has set up more than 13,000 happiness homes in villages.

The government focuses on guaranteeing basic services are provided, while the private sector may lack the motivation to offer more diversified services to rural residents, who have relatively low purchasing power, Liu said, adding that this is where villages must do their part.

Village-based services require joint funding from villages, governments and other entities, such as nonprofit organizations, to ensure their affordability and sustainability, according to Liu, who has researched mutual support care for older people.

These services have proved to be a less costly way to satisfy the needs of older adults in rural areas, many of whom tend to live at home instead of moving into nursing facilities, Liu said.

Wu Yushao, deputy director of the Fudan Institute on Aging, said the nation's rural population has received less attention, as the country has focused more of its resources on assisting elderly people in urban areas.

Elderly care in rural areas had only been touched upon in previous policy documents, which aimed to address other issues. Thus, it's significant that China has released a special document to expound on its plan to handle the problem, Wu said.

Besides the government's policies, villages should also rely on the culture of care rooted in villagers to help seniors, Wu said.

There is a close bond among households in a Chinese village, where people tend to look out for one another, Wu said, suggesting that people who are physically capable, including "left-behind" women and healthy older villagers, can help provide care for those who need it.

"These people can form a strong force if they are organized," Wu said.

Zhang Yu contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn