PUBLISHED DECISION GUIDE
China to Standardize Elderly Care Services: Key Points for Residents and Families
New draft rules from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs aim to standardize nursing home practices, including telecommunications support, privacy protection, complaint handling, and hospice services.
The Chinese government has released draft rules on elderly care institutions to standardize practices and services. The public consultation period runs until November 12, and the rules outline key requirements for nursing homes to ensure quality care and resident protection.
Independently written English guidance based on cited public sources. Every public guide is human reviewed; it is not an official translation of the source publisher.
Telecommunications and Resident Support
According to the draft rules, nursing homes are required to provide telecommunications services, including but not limited to telephone and the Internet. If residents have problems with telecommunications services, institutions should provide professional staff to help them.
This ensures that residents can stay connected with family and access online services, with staff assistance when needed.
Staff Conduct and Privacy Protection
The draft mandates that staff treat the elderly with politeness and patience, and keep the private information of residents and visitors confidential.
The environment and facilities must be safe and protect resident privacy, and outsourcing services should be commissioned to qualified organizations with withdrawal systems established.
Transparency and Complaint Resolution
Nursing homes should make public service programs and charging standards, and set out rules for addressing complaints.
Complaints should be responded to within 10 working days, ensuring timely attention to resident and family concerns.
Hospice Services and Aging Context
The draft also requires nursing homes to offer hospice services. Hospice service providers should receive training before offering services.
China had more than 230.8 million people aged 60 or above at the end of 2016, representing 16.7 percent of the total population. By international standards, a country or region is considered an 'aging society' when the number of people aged 60 or above reaches 10 percent or more.
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