Discuss the major problems facing elderly in China and how does the government solve these problems - Essay Example

Facts and discussion presented in this paper are basically meant to illuminate the reality of the claim that “the old people in China are having grave socioeconomic problems due to the increasing rate of old population and the Chinese government is profoundly concerned about this issue.” In my opinion, this state or claim is unequivocally based on a factual and reality-based approach, which is backed up by authentic research reports that are discussed in this paper. 2. Major problems faced by the old Chinese community: It is mentioned in (Chinese Culture, 2011) that the population of old people over 60 years of age is about 128 million which suggests the existence of one old Chinese over 60 years in every ten people, and this rate of old population is the largest in the whole world.

(Central News Agency, 2007) claims that the rate of old population is thought to increase up to 400 million in 2037. Naturally, the grave socioeconomic scenarios experienced are bound to be more exploiting and destructive with the growing number of old citizens. It is suggested by Wenfan (cited in Chinese Culture, 2011) that most of the problems are resulting from the shattered family structure. In old times, old parents used to be the utmost responsibility of their mid aged children and they always took great care to look after their myriad psychological and financial needs along with encouraging them to share the same house.

Now, with excessive competitiveness and increased materialistic approach, meaning of relationships is getting fast forgotten with the result that none of the kids remain behind with their parents. (LaFraniere, 2011) mentions that more than half of the old Chinese population lives separately because younger generations are moving away from their old parents. Shortage of money is the biggest problem that the old Chinese population has to deal with and this problem is potentially capable of bringing with itself myriad critical psychological pressures. 3. Better accommodation facilities for old people ensured at governmental level: The accommodation problems are worth mentioning that were quite significant in the past but are gradually lessening now.

With urbanized lifestyle getting famous in the adult children, they are increasingly worried by the heavy burden of their parents. That is why they choose to live separately at their own places. They are themselves found too preoccupied with their own problems, let alone coping with the needs of the old parents. Therefore, more and more old Chinese people are left alone and they deserve better and cheaper accommodation facilities. It is mentioned by (Xiao, 2011) that “few overseas enterprises have invested in China's vast market for care of the elderly.

” Affording the best old houses was not imaginable for the elderly people a few years back, but now more and more old Chinese people reportedly return from abroad so that they can spend the rest of their lives in their own country. Efforts made at governmental level have brought a noticeable change. “The thought of returning home and purchasing a house to spend their remaining years has attracted an increasing number of Chinese people who are currently living abroad.” (Overseas Chinese Network, 2009).

More combined and strengthened efforts from the families, the local communities,