Related to my last blog post, Here is a summary of a magazine article I read regarding the severe aging population in China.

A census over Chinese population shows that, by 2025, 25% of Chinese will be over 60. Chinese government and medical system is unprepared for the ageing citizens. The current medical care and pension systems are not adequate to meet the needs of the old. Rural areas lag far behind cities in terms of the provision of benefits.

Unlike their young counterparts, Chinese old people live alone not because of their choice, but because they have no choice. For the old, the physical condition is an important issue. Yet their psychological situation is also worrisome. Since female tend to outlive their husbands, and their children move to cities for employment, old Chinese female tend to live alone, and in many cases, TV or radio is their only companion. It’s a Chinese tradition to value filial piety and encourage families to live together. Old Chinese females, sometimes feel reluctant or ashamed to search for help from their neighbors or the society. This leads them to feel even lonelier; some of them avoid social activities.

Given this background of Chinese elderly, during 2009-2011, people over 65 constitutes to almost half of all suicides in China. China is rapidly changing its social structure; the problem of the elderly continues to be serious.