Imagine juggling research deadlines and family dinners while caring for your aging parents 📝👵👴. That’s the daily life of Peking University Professor Hu Yong, who’s embraced the dual identity of scholar and caregiver.
For Hu, caregiving isn’t just a task—it’s a human need that stretches from childhood nurturing to elder support. “No one can truly escape this role,” he says, pointing out the inner strength it demands.
When his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Hu experienced the exhaustion and isolation many family caregivers face. Beyond his own lab, he’s now a passionate advocate for a care-oriented society—in his words, a system that includes long-term care insurance and community-based services to lift some of the weight off home caregivers’ shoulders 🏘️⚕️.
Hu argues that family caregivers form the social “bottom-line” of healthcare and social security. Without them, the entire system could topple. He also brings attention to “death quality,” urging that our loved ones deserve a peaceful, dignified end when the time comes.
Professor Hu’s story sheds light on the urgent need for systemic change in the Chinese mainland’s rapidly aging society. It reminds us that caring for one another is more than a duty—it’s the heartbeat of a community ❤️🌳.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
