By Feng Wenmeng & Ge Yanfeng, Research Department of Social Development, DRC

Research Report, No.200, 2019 (Total 5700) 2019-11-13

Abstract: To accurately understand the needs of the elderly and their changes is the basic prerequisite for effectively coping with the aging population. In 2018, DRC’s research team on “Chinese people’s livelihood survey” conducted a household survey on 10134 families in 8 provinces across the country, interviewing 8048 elderly people aged 60 and over. Data analysis shows that under the background of the aging population, the burden of diseases in old age is increasingly prominent, and the demand of health services for the elderly is outstanding, which leads to new requirements for the medical service model, with door-to-door medical care and disease monitoring and emergency assistance as the most urgent need for development. To build an elderly-friendly health service system, we need to provide more convenient and efficient services at the grassroots level. In the near future, we need to promote door-to-door medical treatment as soon as possible and expedite the establishment of the health monitoring and emergency assistance system for the elderly. To ensure the effective delivery of health services for the elderly, we also need to reform the payment methods of the medical insurance for door-to-door medical care and emergency assistance, improve relevant incentive mechanisms, and promote the reform of supporting measures.

Key words: aging of the population, door-to-door medical care, emergency assistance