BEIJING: China will accelerate the formulation of two new laws dedicated to elderly care and barrier-free facilities, as part of efforts to tackle the country’s quickly aging population by reinforcing related legal frameworks, according to a report delivered to the top legislature and a senior health official said.
The report, delivered to the 36th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress, said that a law on elderly care services will be established, combining the experiences of various localities and focusing on key issues such as community nursing homes, the integration of healthcare and elderly care services, elderly care resources in rural areas and long-term care.
Expedited efforts will also be made to set up a law on building barrier-free environments, aiming to push the notion of barrier-free access into every sector of society. A draft version is expected to be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, for review by the end of this year, it said.
The report was compiled after national legislators led a research tour on the aging issue in China and was delivered to the ongoing session of the top legislature on Tuesday.
China became an aging society when the proportion of people aged 60 and above exceeded 10 percent in 1999. The rate climbed to 18.9 percent last year, and is projected to top 20 percent by 2025 and nearly 35 percent by 2050, according to the report.
–The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
