More hospice centers to be built for elderly

China will build more than 600 hospice centers to accommodate disabled senior citizens by the end of 2015, China National Radio reported on Sunday.

Li Baoku, chairman of the China Aging Development Foundation said at the National Caring Project Conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, that the country has 3.3 million elderly people who are unable to care for themselves, with 1.1 million relying entirely on nursing care.

The availability of care homes and community nursing falls far short of demand, he said, and medical institutions with hospice facilities targeted at this group are needed.

The Caring Project started as a draft resolution proposed by 46 CPPCC members in 2005, which was later written into the country’s 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10).

The project has already built around 350 elderly care institution, providing more than 150,000 beds for those in need, CNR reported.