China is grappling with the mounting pressures of a rapidly greying population alongside a shrinking workforce. Photo: AFPChina has issued guidelines encouraging elderly people to volunteer in community service and help in underdeveloped areas. The country is struggling with an ageing population and shrinking workforce.
The National Committee on Ageing has released guidelines for the Silver Age Action initiative. It was introduced two decades ago to encourage the elderly to volunteer.
The committee urged local authorities to incorporate Silver Age Action into cooperation between eastern and western provinces. The guidelines should also be part of intra-provincial plans to guide educated elderly people in supporting less developed regions.
The elderly are encouraged to volunteer for community activities. Local authorities urged them to take part in patrols, childcare, senior care, disability assistance, and support for disadvantaged and “left-behind” children. This is a term for kids who remain in rural areas while their parents go to work in big cities.