Authorities act to help seniors affected by COVID-19 resurgence

A raft of measures were jointly released by Shanghai's nine government authorities on Sunday to relieve the financial pressure on senior homes across the city resulting from the COVID-19 resurgence.

These include subsidies related to disinfection and preventive items for senior homes through December, and exemption or reduction of their rents, according to the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

Operation subsidies ranging between 10,000 yuan (US$1,495) and 200,000 yuan per senior care facility have also been earmarked, according to the bureau.

Senior agencies with financial difficulties are allowed to delay the payment of social security fees, and a 600-yuan subsidy per person for senior homes that do not lay off their staff will be delivered as well.

Financing guarantees and preferential policies on loans are also included.

Shanghai is among the first aging cities in China, and the proportion of aged residents is estimated to rise through 2025.

The city's residents over the age of 60 comprised more than 36 percent of the permanent population by the end of last year, hitting 5.34 million.

It's estimated that about 300,000 people in the city suffer from dementia, a figure projected to increase in the coming years.