Health and pensions top seniors’ concerns, but most feel safe in city
Print Edition
Health and pensions are the things that most concern Shanghai’s elderly people, according to a poll.
More than 50 percent don’t live with their families, but enjoy frequent visits from their children, the Shanghai Statistics Bureau survey revealed.
About 95 percent of respondents said their children visit at least once a month.
The bureau polled 2,248 people who have lived in the city for at least a year and are senior citizens or their relatives.
In an effort to improve the well-being of older people, an amended Law of Protection of Rights and Interests of the Aged introduced in July made it illegal for people to neglect the “spiritual needs” of the elderly.
It said family members who did not live with their parents should visit or “greet them” frequently.
About 83 percent of interviewees said their health or that of their spouses was their major concern, while pensions were the top worry of 52 percent.
Some 29 percent were concerned about the high cost of living, with food and health care their top expenditure.
The things that gave the elderly most satisfaction were the city’s transport system and the care shown by their offspring.
Seniors can use public transport for free at off-peak times.
Three quarters were satisfied with safety, with 49 percent saying they hadn’t encountered scams targeting older people.
Their top demands included tourism and study opportunities, as they wanted to enjoy their leisure time.
Financial products for seniors were the least needed, the poll found.
At the end of 2012, the city had 3.67 million people over 60, up 5.6 percent from a year earlier.
Pensions were the main source of finance for seniors, followed by savings, support from children, government subsidies and rent.
About 61 percent of seniors polled received at least 2,000 yuan (US$331) per month, while 26 percent got between 1,000 yuan and 2,000 yuan.
About 53 percent of seniors don’t live with their children, with the percentage in the countryside 4.8 percent higher than in urban areas.
The bureau recommended narrowing the pensions gap between rural and urban areas and improving medical treatment and care for the elderly.
By the end of 2015, Shanghai is expected to have more than 4.3 million residents over the age of 60 — almost 30 percent of the registered population.
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