The State Councilurged diversified and multilevel service for the elderly, apart from basiccare, by 2022, according to a circular released on April 16.

Aninter-department comprehensive supervision system will be created, with aneffort to accelerate the building of the social credit system in this field. Bythe end of June, a joint disciplinary mechanism must be established toimplement punishment on severely dishonest agencies and personnel providingservices for the elderly, the circular said.

Public elderlycare institutions should stick to a non-commercial nature, with more attentionon the elderly with financial difficulties, who are not able to take care ofthemselves or lost their only child, and offer free or low-cost care services.

Elderly careinstitutions in line with current policies can enjoy preferential policies forsmall and micro enterprises.

By the end of2022, government at all levels must allocate at least 55 percent of its lotterypublic welfare fund for social welfare to the development of elderly careservices.

Efforts should bemade to ease financing for elderly care institutions.

A sound system ofvocational skill identification, education and training for caregivers will beestablished, while bigger play should be given to the industry in creating morejobs.

The circular alsourged promoting the consumption of products for the elderly, while protectingtheir rights as consumers.

As for the qualityof elderly care services, existing medical and health institutions and elderlycare institutions should enhance cooperation by giving play to eachother’s complementary advantages, the circular said, adding that thegovernment should streamline the process of establishing an institution whichcombines medical health care with elderly care.

The circular alsocalled for the integration of home-based care, community care and institutionalcare, as well as Internet Plus care, which adopts information technology, likeartificial intelligence, the internet of things and big data in elderly carefield.

Source:https://appen.media.gov.cn/engovdata/goven/201904/16/456193/article.html