CCTV News: The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council recently issued the "Opinions on Deepening the Reform and Development of Elderly Care Services" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), which proposed a series of major institutional innovations in response to the basic institutional arrangements related to the high-quality development of elderly care services and the deep-seated contradictions and problems currently exist.

The "Opinions on Deepening the Reform and Development of Elderly Care Services" proposes that it is necessary to accelerate the improvement of the elderly care service network and optimize the supply pattern of elderly care services based on home, community-based, institutions-based, and combination of medical care and nursing. Strengthen basic elderly care services with a focus on care for disabled elderly people, and improve the elderly care service system that is classified, accessible, covers urban and rural areas, and is sustainable. Strengthen the promotion of elderly health, promote the expansion and quality of elderly care services, further stimulate the vitality of the development of elderly care and the elderly care industry, and better meet the needs of multi-level and diversified elderly care services for the elderly.

The "Opinions" proposes that by 2029, the elderly care service network will be basically completed, the service capacity and level will be significantly enhanced, significant progress will be made in expanding capacity, improving quality and efficiency, and the supply of basic elderly care services will be continuously optimized. By 2035, the elderly care service network will be more sound, the service supply and demand will be more coordinated and adapted, and all the elderly will enjoy basic elderly care services. The elderly care service system that is suitable for my country's national conditions will be mature and fixed.

Li Banghua, deputy director of the Elderly Care Service Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, introduced that the "Opinions" is the first guiding opinions on elderly care services issued in the name of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. It has made forward-looking, systematic and overall deployment for the development of elderly care services. It is a top-level design that promotes the high-quality development of elderly care services in the new era and promotes the maturity and standardization of my country's national conditions. It is a programmatic document for the construction of elderly care services at present and in the future. Accelerate the improvement of the third-level elderly care service network covering urban and rural areas

The "Opinions on Deepening the Reform and Development of Elderly Care Services" proposes for the first time to accelerate the improvement of the third-level elderly care service network covering urban and rural areas. The main functions of county-level, township (street), and village (community) hierarchical services are defined, and a service support system with county-level comprehensive services, township (street) regional linkage, and village (community) nearby convenience are promoted.

The "Opinions" propose that it is necessary to build a county-level comprehensive elderly care service management platform, and on the basis of undertaking the function of bottom-line guarantee, expand and strengthen comprehensive functions such as service demonstration, industry guidance, emergency assistance, resource coordination, and coordinate the efficient use of county-level elderly care service resources. At the township (street) level, we should rely on township (street) nursing homes, high-quality private nursing homes, etc. to renovate and expand them into regional elderly care service centers, give full play to the role of professional care, service referral, resource linkage, etc., promote the linkage between the upper and lower levels and promote the connection between supply and demand. The village (community) level should give full play to the leading role of the township (street) regional elderly care service centers, adopt "center + site" and other methods to vigorously develop embedded community elderly care service facilities and mutual aid elderly care service stations, improve elderly care service facilities in old communities, strengthen the comprehensive utilization of public service facilities such as education, health, and culture, and build a "old and young" service complex.

Li Banghua introduced that it is the first time that accelerating the improvement of a three-level elderly care service network covering urban and rural areas is conducive to strengthening the coordination of elderly care service resources within the county (district). The elderly care facilities in the entire county (district) are connected into a network, making services more convenient and accessible, and supply and demand more connected.