China will implement a 15-minute elderly care service circle during the 14th Five-year Plan (2021-2025) by building 1,000 elderly friendly communities every year, said Wang Haidong, an official from the National Health Commission.

Wang says China will provide comprehensive support to elderly care in terms of travel, medical services, shopping and recreation.

The country will provide support for communities and institutions to organize volunteers who will take care of the disabled elderly confined at home.

It encourages communities to cooperate with institutions on short-term and temporary care for the elderly. Also, community-level health service centers and other primary medical and health institutions will increase the number of beds for elderly citizens.

In addition, innovative elderly care services like internet-based medical, health, and nursing services will be promoted.

At the end of 2021, China had an elderly population aged 60 or older of 267 million people.