CWU Hosts Seminar on Elder Care Situation and Policy

A seminar on "Elder Care Status and Policy" was held at China Women's University (CWU) on July 16. The event was attended by more than 30 experts and scholars from a dozen organizations including the China National Committee on Ageing (CNCA), Peking University, Renmin University of China, Central University of Finance and Economics, and the Chaoyang Sub-district Office.

The seminar was presided over by Director of China Women's Development and Research Center Professor Zhang Lixi, and Assoicate Professor Zhang Jian of the School of Gender and Social Development at CWU.

Chen Fang, CWU professor and executive director of the China Women's Research Center, delivered an opening speech. She briefly reviewed China's present elder care policies, and presented her own expectations. She hoped that the experts and scholars could analyze China's current elder care status from different angles, and provide valuable comments and suggestions as to the development of China's elder care policy from their own fields of research.

At the meeting, the experts discussed some of the key issues, and shared their own research findings. Hu Yukun, associate professor of the Institute of Population Research at Peking University, shared his opinions on globalization and the evolution of international ageing policy from the gender perspective. He pointed out that in the context of globalization, the ageing trend continues to accelerate. The essential problems of population ageing are particularly faced by elderly women, a view which has gradually reached a worldwide consensus.

Associate Professor Zhang Jian related his knowledge on the United States, Japan, Taiwan and other countries and regions to China's elder care ideas and practices. She pointed out the importance of other country's experiences on community care for the elderly.

Wang Chen, director of the Information Center of CNCA, briefly summarized the condition of China's elderly care sector based on her working practices.

Wang Xiangmei, associate professor of CWU, carefully analyzed the new regulations on the retirement age, and put forward her own thinking.

The assembled academics and officials also showed great interest in the present situation and policy differences between urban and rural areas. Tang Dan, associate professor of the Population Development Studies Center of Renmin University of China, analyzed the elder care dilemma based on the phenomenon of "empty nest" elderly in rural areas.

Fang Weifang, director of the Home Care Service Center of Rural Women's School, shared her opinions on the multiple service modes of rural women participating in urban elder care on behalf of her rural organization.

Gan Furong, from Chaoyang Sub-district Office explained some of the home care practices and difficulties in an urban community combining her own grassroots experience.

The warden of Beijing Tianyi Nursing Home shared his own practical experience in taking care of the elderly on behalf of front-line workers.

(Source: China Women's University/Translarted and edited by Women of China)