In Yanjiao, north China's Hebei Province, a senior health and care center welcomes over 5,000 elderly residents, with 95% hailing from Beijing. These seniors enjoy comfortable one-bedroom apartments of about 60 square meters for around 8,000 yuan per month, making it one-third cheaper than similar facilities in Beijing. 🏡✨
As China's aging population grows rapidly, a new trend of cross-city retirement is taking shape. Elderly residents from bustling cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou are moving to neighboring cities offering better living conditions and lower costs to savor their golden years. 🌇➡️🏞️
Beijing, one of the fastest-aging cities in the country, faces challenges with 22.6% of its population aged 60 and above by the end of 2023. Outdated neighborhoods and limited senior care facilities make urban land scarce and expensive, prompting many seniors to seek more accessible options outside the city.
To address this, a pilot program launched in 2016 between Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei has been instrumental. In March this year, the civil affairs departments of these regions deepened their collaboration, extending Beijing's high-quality senior care and healthcare resources to Tianjin and Hebei. Seniors from Beijing's Xicheng District living in these areas receive a monthly subsidy of 600 yuan for out-of-town senior care. Currently, over 120,000 elderly residents from Beijing and Tianjin are benefiting from this initiative in Hebei.
\"We cater primarily to seniors from Beijing. They have significant cultural needs. Therefore, we have set up a senior university, gym, and swimming pool, along with nurse stations staffed with professional doctors and nurses on each floor,\" said Li Haiyan, head of the senior care institution. 🏊♀️📚
The Yangtze River Delta region is also witnessing a rise in cross-city retirement, with many opting for \"vacation-style retirement\"—traveling and living in different places based on the season. Shanghai, a major business hub, has a senior population constituting 36.8% of its total residents.
Since 2018, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui have piloted regional senior care integration, optimizing resources across the area. Huzhou, a city in Zhejiang Province, has become a popular destination thanks to its convenient transportation and vibrant health and tourism industry. Several elderly care communities in Huzhou attract seniors from cities like Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou for both short-term stays and long-term residences.
The region is expanding its health and tourism institutions to meet the needs of elderly residents requiring professional care. Currently, 108 senior care institutions with nearly 50,000 beds across about 40 cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui are open to seniors from the delta region.
\"With the accelerated aging process in China, the elderly have an increasing ability and willingness to pay for senior care. Their demands for personalized and diverse services are also growing. It is crucial to help seniors transition from survival-based retirement to enjoyment and participation-based retirement,\" said Xu Qihua, president of the Shanghai Senior Care Service Industry Association. 🌟👵👴
