Exploring the 'Holistic Governance' Mechanism of Digital Technology Empowering the Smart Elderly Care Industry Through a Case Study of Beijing

Abstract

Against the backdrop of an 'aging before becoming wealthy' population and mismatched supply and demand, China’s elderly care service system, though transitioning toward a universal model, still faces significant challenges from institutional fragmentation at the implementation level. Taking Beijing as a case study and adopting a holistic governance perspective, this paper explores the optimization mechanisms of the smart elderly care industry empowered by digital technology. The study finds that the dual governance by the health and civil affairs systems is the root cause of 'information silos' and the 'business model paradox,' and that merely piling on technology cannot overcome administrative barriers. The conclusion points out that the key to breaking this deadlock lies in moving from 'technological connection' to 'institutional integration.' This paper proposes recommendations such as establishing cross-departmental data governance mechanisms, using long-term care insurance to build a closed-loop payment system, and adhering to age-appropriate technology design principles, in order to achieve holistic governance and precise provision of elderly care resources in megacities.