Experts share views on senior care
A meeting in the Pudong New Area on Tuesday heard government officials, professionals and industry insiders share their views of how to promote the senior care service industry.
Speakers at the Shanghai International Elderly Service Industry Summit 2019 talked about the application of intelligent technologies, apartments for dementia sufferers in the United States and the UK, and the vision, policies and experience of Shanghai's sister city Rotterdam in promoting active and healthy aging.
"We will encourage more social capital into the senior care sector, learn from good experience at home and abroad, promote integrated development of senior care service industries in the Yangtze River Delta and innovative models in the field," said Zhao Zhuping, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai government.
Jiang Rui, deputy director of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, said: "Shanghai will further open up its senior care service market by stepping up the reform of public senior care homes and expanding the investment and financing channels of senior care services.”
New senior care service facilities invested by government authorities in the city will be operated by social forces such as social organizations and enterprises, the bureau said.
More convenience in terms of business license registration will be given to companies operating senior care services and foreign funds will enjoy the same preferential policies in a number of fields as domestic funds for operating senior care homes in the city, according to the bureau.
Property management companies, logistics companies and trade and business enterprises are also encouraged to provide community-based services for the elderly, the bureau said.
In addition, senior care services cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta region will be accelerated, said Jiang.
Shanghai has a senior population of 5.03 million people, accounting for around 34 percent of permanent residents, according to the bureau.