Yu Jianliang, director of the Department of elderly care services of the Ministry of Civil Affairs

Among the documents of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, the discussion and deployment of elderly care services are the most and systematic. Comrades in the field of elderly care services throughout the country feel both elated and responsible. After careful study and thinking, I have preliminarily formed the following experiences.

1、 We should deeply understand a series of new formulations, new discussions and new arrangements on elderly care services at the Fifth Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee

In the proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on formulating the 14th five year plan for national economic and social development and the long-term objectives for 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the "proposal"), in addition to the special discussion on elderly care services in the 47th part of "implementing the national strategy to actively respond to population aging", there are many aspects related to elderly care, including a series of new references, new discussions and new arrangements, It is a summary of the practical experience of elderly care services since the 18th National Congress, reflects our party's understanding of the regularity of elderly care services, and points out the direction for providing Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom to solve the worldwide problem of elderly care services.

（1） Deeply understand the significance of actively responding to population aging as a national strategy.

The law on the protection of the rights and interests of the elderly, revised in 2012, defined actively responding to population aging as "a long-term strategic task of the country", and the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee as "actively carrying out actions to respond to population aging". From "long-term strategic task" to "action" and then to "national strategy", it highlights the depth and height of the Party Central Committee's understanding of the seriousness of the population aging situation and the significance of positive response.

The main cause of population aging is that people's average life expectancy increases year by year. A country's average life expectancy is a comprehensive reflection of its comprehensive national strength, development level and civilization. China's population aging has its particularity: large scale, fast growth, getting old before getting rich, getting old before getting ready, and the conflict between traditional lifestyle and modern production mode. China's elderly population reached 254 million at the end of last year. It is expected to exceed 300 million by 2025, exceed 400 million in 2035 and close to 500 million in 2050.

The problem of population aging is an inseparable factor in considering the overall strategic situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the great changes in the world that have not been seen in a century. A timely, scientific and effective response to this problem will fully demonstrate our road, theoretical, institutional and cultural advantages and become a positive and definite power factor. On the contrary, it may become a negative and uncertain risk factor.

The elderly cannot be regarded as a burden. In addition to having life experience and human resource value, the elderly have unlimited potential in promoting consumption, expanding employment and industrial development. Some institutions estimate that the market scale of China's elderly care services and products is more than 100 billion. This is exactly the significance of "developing silver economy" formally proposed in the proposal. In addition, solving the problem of providing for the elderly can liberate young people from family care, so as to stimulate productivity and promote economic development. Therefore, actively responding to the aging population and developing the elderly care service industry is also of great significance to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern with the domestic big cycle as the main body and the domestic and international double cycles promoting each other.

（2） Deeply understand the positioning and classification of elderly care services.

Section 47 "implementing the national strategy to actively respond to population aging" of the recommendations only discusses and deploys the content of "one old and one small". Except for the sentence "actively developing aging human resources", other contents related to "old" are basically related to elderly care services, which shows the status and role of elderly care services in the national strategy to actively respond to population aging. In this part, it is proposed to "support families to bear the pension function", "improve the basic pension service system, develop inclusive pension services and mutual pension", "promote the coordinated development of pension undertakings and pension industry" and "cultivate new business forms of pension". From this, it can be clearly seen that pension services are divided into family pension and social pension, Social pension includes basic type (including inclusive type and inclusive type) and high-end market type. This classification and positioning is in line with China's reality and the basic national conditions of the primary stage of socialism.

In the 13th Part of "accelerating the development of modern service industry" of the proposal, it is proposed to "promote the upgrading of life service industry to high quality and diversification, accelerate the development of health, elderly care, childcare, culture, tourism, sports, housekeeping, property and other service industries, and strengthen the supply of public welfare and basic services", taking elderly care service as an important part of life service industry in modern service industry, It is clear that the development direction is high quality and diversification, focusing on public welfare and foundation.

In section 45 "improving the multi-level social security system" of the recommendations, it is proposed to "steadily establish a long-term care insurance system" and "improve the care service system and facilities for the elderly and the disabled", which will provide important financial and material support for the elderly to pay and enjoy pension services.

2、 We should focus on formulating the special plan and work plan for elderly care services during the 14th five year plan, and implement a series of decisions and arrangements on elderly care services at the Fifth Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee

The top priority is to do a good job in the 14th five year plan related to elderly care services, plan for next year's work, and implement the tasks and measures put forward at the Fifth Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee.

（1） Seize opportunities and seek development with a positive attitude.

Seize the opportunity of "promoting the deep integration of Internet, big data and artificial intelligence" proposed in Article 12 of the proposal to accelerate the informatization and intellectualization of elderly care services; Seize the opportunity of "promoting the standardization and brand building of the service industry" proposed in Article 13 of the proposal and "strengthening the supervision during and after the event and implementing inclusive and prudent supervision over new industries and new formats" proposed in Article 24 of the proposal, accelerate the standardization of elderly care services, and meet the requirements of "accurate awareness and scientific response". Seize the opportunity of "improving the ability of leading groups and cadres at all levels to adapt to the new requirements of the new era, grasp the level of reform, promote development, maintain stability and specialization, and strengthen the incentive and protection of cadres who dare to act well" put forward in Article 55 of the proposal, strive to improve their own ability and quality, dare to act, and meet the requirements of "actively seeking change".

（2） Make special plans and implement work measures with a detailed and pragmatic attitude.

First of all, we should further strengthen the concept of system. *** To do a good job in the planning of elderly care services, we should strengthen forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout and overall promotion, so as to realize the unity of development quality, structure, scale, speed, efficiency and safety.

Secondly, we should firmly grasp the overall goal and task of elderly care services. The overall goal is to achieve the "by 2035, the pension service system with Chinese characteristics will be mature and finalized, and all the elderly will enjoy basic pension services" proposed in the national medium and long term plan for actively responding to population aging; The general task is to "build an old-age service system with the coordination of home-based community institutions and the combination of medical care and health care" proposed by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and reiterated by the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee.

Finally, we should pay close attention to the implementation of the specific measures on elderly care services put forward at the Fifth Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee. From now to next year and for some time to come, we will focus on the following work:

1、 Promote and improve the basic elderly care service system;

2、 Comprehensively promote the development of rural elderly care services;

3、 Study and issue policies to support family pension;

4、 Study and formulate guidance on the development of pension industry;

5、 Introduce and implement a comprehensive supervision system;

6、 Improve the care and service system for the elderly;

7、 Connect and cooperate to establish a long-term care insurance system.

Source: China social news