Active Aging

and technology advance with each passing day and the elderly find themselves slow to accept and acquire innovation. The silver generation today needs a methodical and ideological mechanism to help them cope with the ever-changing realities of day-to-day life.

Traditionally, most elderly citizens are taken care of at home, while a small number of them are sent to nursing homes. In most cases, they have their own houses and can live a relatively unbothered life. However, as the graying of the population has begun to pick up speed, various new problems pop up. More and more seniors are left home alone, mostly in rural areas, as their children venture out to the cities in pursuit of more job opportunities. Then there’s a growing number of old people beginning to suffer from chronic diseases, as well as the fact that digitalization is complicating life for many of them. In this context, the concept of “an active attitude toward aging” is the best strategy to manage the issues that are becoming more visible by the year.

Western countries have already developed a mature social system to tackle the side effects of an aging population, but there is little for China to copy due to fundamental differences in traditions and national conditions. According to the guideline, the Chinese Government and society by large have to jointly put senior health first, while, at the same time, business opportunities for and various resources of this age group will be given full rein so that senior citizens across the nation can live longer and happier lives in a modern society.

As an ancient Chinese sage once said, “Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.” With age, comes wisdom.