Current Status, Challenges, and Recommendations for the Integration of Medical and Elderly Care Services in Chinese Urban Communities

Abstract

Since the onset of the 21st century, China has been grappling with an aging population. The continuous increase in the number of individuals aged 65 and above in recent years has intensified this aging trend. To alleviate the challenges of an aging society and promote healthy aging in China, the development of integrated medical and elderly care services was formally proposed in 2013. This initiative has led to the establishment of four integrated service models, which have achieved commendable results over the past few years. However, China's foray into integrated medical and elderly care services began relatively late, and several challenges persist. These include a mismatch between the supply and demand of services, limited financing channels for these services, overlapping management by multiple government departments, and a shortage of specialized professionals in the field. Based on this analysis, this paper suggests enhancing the match between supply and demand for integrated services, diversifying financing channels, strengthening collaborative governance of these services, and actively recruiting and cultivating professionals specialized in integrated medical and elderly care.