DALIAN, China With over 10% of the population aged 65 or older, China desperately needs elder care programs and services. Beijing hopes to ease the pressure by having roughly 23,000 community centers converted into adult day care facilities, but a number of obstacles are complicating efforts to look after the country's more than 100 million seniors.
In the northeastern city of Dalian, one community center started operating as a nursing care provider under a pilot program in December 2014. The seniors there get exercise, nutritious lunches and baths. The facility is fully wheelchair accessible and is outfitted with handrails to prevent falls. Beds also have railings, and the chairs and desks have no sharp corners.
