Solutions To Problems In Long-Term Care Of Elderly People

Aging of its population has become increasingly prominent in China since 1999.when it was officially labeled as an ageing society. Yet at the same time, problems such as growing ‘empty-nest’ families, weakening family care-giving, and failing institutional care have brought about great impact and pressure on long-term care for older people. It is therefore an important issue for the government to establish a feasible model of long-term care of the elderly.This thesis starts with a critical literature review to reveal the background and significance of long-term care for the elderly as well as define certain key concepts. First, from the perspective of public goods theory and new public management theory, the necessity of developing a long-term care model against the backdrop of an aging population is expounded following an analysis of the status quo in Quanzhou and across the country. Secondly, a questionnaire is designed on the basis of three main factors in the demand for long-term care in view of local circumstances and in light of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Findings from a survey of four hundred people over age 65 are used to describe the life of old people in the city concerned, existing modes of long-term care, current demand for and satisfaction of such care, and differences in the needs of different types of senior citizens. Primary problems are consequently uncovered in this description. Moreover, the patterns in providing long-term care in three developed countries and regions are introduced, and experience for reference by China is summed up. Finally, countermeasures and suggestions are put forward for building a long-term care model in line with national conditions, to better meet the needs of the aged.This paper is innovative in that its discussion of the development of long-term care for the elderly is soundly founded upon an empirical investigation of the needs of older persons in Quanzhou and a comparison of the demand by different groups. Such a study is thus conducive to future theoretical and practical explorations on the subject matter.