Imagine swapping the hustle and bustle of Beijing for the serene landscapes of Hebei! That's exactly what over 5,000 seniors have done, finding new homes in a senior health and care center in Yanjiao, north China's Hebei Province. With 95% of residents hailing from Beijing, they're enjoying spacious one-bedroom apartments for around 8,000 yuan per month—about a third less than similar facilities in the capital city. 🏡❤️
As China's population ages, a fresh trend is emerging: cross-city retirement. Elderly folks from mega-cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou are moving to nearby cities with better living conditions and lower costs to make the most of their golden years. 🌟
Beijing, one of the fastest-aging cities, has 22.6% of its citizens aged 60 and above as of the end of 2023. Many live in outdated neighborhoods with limited senior care facilities. Plus, the scarce urban land makes such facilities pricey and hard to access. 😕
To lighten the load, a pilot program for coordinated senior care services kicked off in 2016 between Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. By March this year, the three regions deepened this collaboration, extending Beijing's top-notch senior care and healthcare resources to Tianjin and Hebei. Seniors from Beijing's Xicheng District living in Tianjin or Hebei can snag a monthly subsidy of 600 yuan for out-of-town senior care. Now, over 120,000 elderly residents from Beijing and Tianjin are enjoying senior care in Hebei. 🎉
\"We cater primarily to seniors from Beijing. They have significant cultural needs. So, we've set up a senior university, gym, swimming pool, and nurse stations with professional doctors and nurses on each floor,\" said Li Haiyan, head of the senior care institution. 🏥👵👴
The Yangtze River Delta region is also hopping on the cross-city retirement trend. Many seniors are opting for \"vacation-style retirement,\" traveling and living in different places based on the season. Shanghai, the business hub of the region, has 36.8% of its population aged 60 and above. 🧳🌐
Since 2018, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui have piloted regional senior care integration, optimizing resources across a larger area. Take Huzhou in Zhejiang Province, for instance. Located in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta, it's become a hotspot due to its convenient transportation and vibrant health and tourism industry. They've built several elderly care communities, attracting seniors from cities like Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou for short-term stays or long-term residence. 🚆🌇
Currently, the region is planning and building a variety of health and tourism institutions. To meet the needs of elderly people requiring professional care, 108 senior care institutions with nearly 50,000 beds in about 40 cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui are now 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's 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. 🌟👵👴
This cross-city retirement trend is not just about finding a place to live—it's about embracing a new lifestyle that values health, happiness, and community. And who knows? Maybe it's time to start thinking about where you'd like to spend your golden years! 😉✨
Reference(s):
New trends: China's silver generation embraces cross-city retirement
cgtn.com
