In recent years, Shanxi Province has been actively working to address the diverse needs of elderly care services. At a press conference organized by the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee’s Publicity Department and the Shanxi Provincial Government’s Press Office, Ju Limei, a member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Shanxi Provincial Department of Civil Affairs, emphasized the province’s commitment to enhancing the elderly care system. This includes a coordinated approach across home, community, and institutional care, as well as integrating medical and health services.
Ju highlighted that Shanxi has implemented several crucial policies aimed at boosting high-quality development in elderly care. She mentioned initiatives like the “Shanxi Provincial Regulations on Community Home Elderly Care Services,” which provide a solid foundation for this effort.
Focusing on community care, Shanxi has included the happiness project for community elderly care in its list of key livelihood projects for five consecutive years. This year alone, the province has renovated or built 50 urban community elderly care projects and 100 rural elderly service centers, with plans to establish 300 specialized and standardized community service centers by the end of next year.
To encourage private sector participation, Shanxi has introduced various supportive policies, including one-time construction subsidies and operational grants for private elderly care institutions. Over the past three years, the province has invested 168 million yuan to foster the growth of these institutions, resulting in a vibrant influx of investments into the elderly care industry.
In rural areas, Shanxi is utilizing idle resources to set up day care centers for the elderly. The province has implemented operational subsidies and other measures to ensure the sustainable operation of these rural services. For instance, the cities of Huairen and Hequ have successfully established a brand and chain operation for their rural day care centers, resulting in distinctive and replicable best practices in elderly care.
Additionally, Shanxi is focused on branding and has cultivated a number of local elderly care service brands. The province has also exceeded its target by completing home adaptations for 68,000 families with special needs among the elderly, significantly improving their living conditions.
To address the talent shortage in elderly care services, Shanxi has introduced policies to attract college graduates, offering one-time rewards as incentives. The first batch of 58 individuals has already received funding support, effectively promoting a cycle where talent can enter, thrive, and remain in the elderly care sector.
Looking ahead, Ju Limei stated that Shanxi will continue to focus on implementing a basic list of elderly care services to ensure that seniors feel more secure, happy, and cared for.
