Unorthodox Proposals for China’s Extreme Aging Population

Abstract

Toward the end of the previous century, the focus on economic growth and development has shifted from overpopulation as a burden of growth toward the issue of aging population. This is a global issue, but it is especially acute for China. First, for China, the aging population is not a mere natural economic consequence of increased wealth leading to declined fertility, it is the result of a deliberate policy: the one-child policy. Second, unlike its neighbors, China is poised to become old before it becomes rich. Finally, the sheer size of China makes many policies unfeasible in other countries and regions. This study explores the nature and causes of China’s aging population, the lackluster effects of the universal two-child policy, and the uniqueness of China’s aging. To combat the potential astronomical healthcare costs of the aging population, we propose an unorthodox Self-Motivated Health Maintenance healthcare philosophy. More important, we propose the establishment of a novel Elderly Residential and Social Community to provide quality care for the elderly and children, with cost control and community orientation as the goal.