Six o’clock in the morning, in the large park of the Temple of Heaven in the south of Beijing. Every day, dozens of seniors meet in the early morning for singing and dancing sessions. A little respite before a day which, for many, will not be easy: a large part of the elderly in China live with their children and take care of the grandchildren. It is a job that they often do full time. “Three generations live together in our house. Since the birth of my grandson, I’ve taken care of him. I bring him to school and pick him up, then I cook for him. If I I had a choice, I would prefer to live at home”blows a 69-year-old former nurse.
With modern life, some children tend to abandon their parents. They therefore find themselves faced with old age alone, often with few means and small retirement pensions. “I live with my wife and the woman who helps us with the housework”says this 90-year-old Beijinger, retired from the metallurgy.
“We don’t expect our children to take care of us, they are already taking care of their children. No one gives a damn about seniors.”
a 90-year-old Pekingeseat franceinfo
For years, China has relied on families to care for seniors. Reception structures, such as retirement homes, are few in number and often badly perceived. “I don’t want to go into a retirement home because I’ve seen a lot of videos. The elderly are mistreated by caregivers”assures the former nurse.
However, China has called on foreign skills, in particular the French group Colisée. The company has been present for more than ten years in the territory and manages several retirement homes. “China is in the process of discovering this supportobserve Olivier Dessajan, group director for China. The Chinese lack skills and manpower since today there are only one million qualified nursing staff, while we have around 40 million dependent people.
Only 3% of elderly people in China are now accommodated in retirement homes. With 10 million additional elderly people every year, the challenge is immense.