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More qualified nurses needed to care for elderly

CCTV.com

12-26-2016 03:35 BJT

China's senior care industry is facing a shortage of qualified nursing personnel. The country has seen a rapid rise in the number of senior citizens who require care because they either live alone, have been abandoned by their children, or are simply unable to care for themselves.

Over 200 million people in China  -- around 16 percent of China's total population -- will be over the age of 60 by the end of 2016. Experts estimate China will have around 42-million senior citizens, who can't care for themselves by the year 2020.

Demand for qualified nursing personnel is on the rise. China's senior care industry employs less than one-million nurses. And fewer than two-percent of them are licensed. Senior care nurses are often paid low wages, have little training, and frequently change their jobs.

The Chinese government has launched new guidelines for senior care nursing personnel in an effort to boost industry standards. By 2020, the number of beds operated by private companies should reach at least 50% of the total.

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