Change of Opinion on Provision for the Aged and the Current Situation

【Abstract】This paper introduces the current problem on provision for the aged. The origin and situations are introduced to analyse the solution to the provision problem. Result shows that development and reform is required on pension organizations to improve the situation and will lead to economic growth.

【Key words】the Aged； the Current Situation； Change

【作者簡介】余林蔓 ，成都市實驗外國語學校。

1. Introduction

As China is the most populated country in the world， the ageing problem in China is expanding. Based on the surveys on the ageing problem， the problem in China is expanding rapidly with the characteristic of ageing before getting rich. The population of the aged citizen expands by 10 million every year. In 2013， the population of ageing citizens consists of 14.8% of the total population， with the number of 200 million. Estimation shows in 2050， the population will expand to 500 million and will be over 30% of the total population.

In recent year， the ageing problem has become the focus of public view. It is becoming a serious social issue， making it an important and urgent issue for the government as well as organizations which are related to senior citizens.

2. Historical Origin

Our country has started the filial piety culture since the Qin Dynasty， which became the foundation of Chinas provision for the aged system. Like the current law structure， children in the Qin Dynasty had the obligation to provide for their parents when they are old， their roles and duties in the families are stressed in the law.

In recent history， western cultures were adapted into peoples mind. While criticising the despotism and absoluteness of the feudal culture， people also started to question the opinion on provision for the aged with a strong sense of feudal culture during the time. While people criticised the unreasonable aspects in the provisioning system， there were no disrespect to the whole provision system.

After the Chinese economic reform， the social economy changed rapidly， so as the mind of the provision. People were encouraged to fulfil the independent value in the society. Many young people started to travel to seek opportunities for independent benefits and self-values. The ethical ideas were also changing， family and social status of young people were raised， they were able to make their own minds on career and family without following the arrangement from the elder family members.

3. Current Situation

Provision by the family has always been the primary method for the aged in Chinese society. The function for the family provision is getting weakened because of the growing social travelling， as well as the long-term enforcement on one-child policy leading to lack of children. On the other hand， with the change on the value of young peoples opinion， the friction between career and family is also increased. Therefore， the provision has expanded into new ways. Part of the elder people with financial ability and independence choose elder house as a way of provision， the social pension method starts to grow. On the development view， our pension institution and organization still need to be developed， including the following aspects.

First， the current pension method is simple and crude. In the aspect of whole society， the family provision is still the primary method， other methods havent been fully developed. Since the scale of the family is small in general， the primary role for provision is missing， making the family provision affected with lack of caring.Secondly， the supply of pension organization is below the demand. Study shows the population of elder people without basic living ability has reached 30 million. Meanwhile， the population of professional nursing personnel is only 300 thousand， less than 50 of them have the nursing certificate. The hotel-like service pattern doesnt fit with senior citizensway of life， a lot of organization can only support with basic needs like food and clothing， but lack of emotional caring and quality of personnel， the emotion of elder people is often ignored.

4.Measurements and Solutions

Our society must face the issue for the out-dated pension organization， development and reform need to be carried out to improve the management and operation of the pension organization. The service pattern needs to be innovated in order to improve the effeteness of public resources. It is to know that once the efficient and professional qualities are adapted into pension organization， the effect of the change will enrol into a positive cycle， which will lead to economic growth and expansion of job opportunity. Such a way will be more practical， beneficial and meaningful to the economic growth based on the basic infrastructure.

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