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Work-ridden youth caught up in aging China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-23 23:37

BEIJING: Many younger Chinese, dealing with the heavy pressures of contemporary life and work, are finding it hard to play the traditional role of supporting their aged parents, a survey has found.

A survey by the China Youth Daily, published Tuesday, drew that response from some 70 percent of 3,144 people surveyed. Of those polled, 65.8 percent were born after 1980 and 23 percent after 1970.

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More than half of those polled said that being only children meant they faced financial difficulties in supporting several aged relatives; more than 52 percent said it was a financial challenge having their parents live with them.

Filial piety has traditionally been the prime virtue in China, and few people have been willing to face the criticism they would incur by sending aged parents to nursing institutions.

Du Peng, head of the gerontics studies center of the Renmin University of China, told Xinhua Tuesday that smaller families, higher living and medical costs, a more competitive work environment and longer lifespan were making it harder for young people to nurse the aged.

"The government should offer stimulus measures and grant more subsidies to institutions that contribute to the care and support of senior citizens." he said.

More than 80 percent of those polled said their ideal way of life was to balance a career and care of their elders; 52.9 percent said they would like to live with their parents. Nearly 25 percent said they would rather live apart from their parents but offer spiritual and material support.

Du said that 8.9 percent of those aged above 60 in China, or more than 14 million, were unable to care for themselves while there were only 2.75 million beds in nursing homes.

"The development of nursing homes is falling short of the needs of the aging society." he said

He called for the promotion of community care for the aged and giving more emphasis to volunteers who could help nurse the aged.

With the development of the country's old-age pensions and medical care insurance system, which allows Chinese citizens to pay pension premiums in one place and draw money from another, the problem would be alleviated, he said.