Planning respondence to older people’s long-term care needs: Evidence from Beijing, China

Abstract

Method Based on a questionnaire survey conducted in typical communities in Beijing, empirical analysis of urban residents’ choice for caring patterns in different stages and its rationality will be made by using a decision-making tree. Results Our study shows that (i) at present, traditional caring pattern of family support has been transformed, leaving more than 50% of empty-nest families in Beijing. 80% urban residents in healthy stage tend to live alone, and turn to institutions endowment when they are in need of care. (ii) The present main problems are the very limited understanding and recognition of community endowment by the elderly and the severe shortage of endowment institutions, especially the large gap of beds for disabled and half-disabled elderly in endowment institutions. (iii) Caring needs from the elderly in different stages are dramatically different. Once entering into the stage of in need of care, caring needs by family support, community endowment and institution endowment increase by 2, 4 and 8 times respectively. Based on the calculation of life cycle, reasonable proportion of disabled and half-disabled elderly in institutions and community endowment are 35% and 30% in 2020. (iv) At present, demand regulation should focus on the elderly less than 70 years old and lead more young elderly into community endowment.