The number of seniors in China is rising fast, with an annual growth of 3.2 percent, according to the latest official data.

More than 132 million seniors were living in China at the end of last year, making them the world's largest ageing community. They now make up 10 percent of China's population.

Experts said the number of gray-haired citizens in China will make up 25 percent of the nation's population by 2040, which means one out of every four people in China will likely be a grandparent.

Unlike Japan or the United States, which is confronting the aging issue with the advantage of a well-developed economy and welfare system, China has to figure out how to jump-start reform of its shabby welfare system and then carry through with those reforms.

"The state alone cannot do the trick. Taking care of the elderly should become a public agenda, which means non-state investment and services should be involved," said Mu Guangzong, a senior expert on the ageing society in China.

Beijing is striving to nurture a caring system based on a local community. The challenge is encouraging private investment in a neighborhood to offer services to the elderly.

"Compared with welfare houses struggling for meager state funding, community care centers are run at lower cost, offer more services and are more affordable and efficient," said Yan Qingchun, a Ministry of Civil Affairs official in charge of welfare for the elderly.

Such a center on Caixiang Street in downtown Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, is a case in point.

On a gloriously sunny morning, 75-year-old Luo Tongxu took a deep breath before whipping the bumper to hit a tiny ball in the court, a game he dubbed "mini-golf."

"Nice shot!" his 72-year-old wife said while gesturing her husband to take another.

This is just the start of another busy day for the elderly couples. After sports, they will eat, take a stroll and head for the library to read the latest news before attending a choir in the afternoon.

"I feel great," said Luo, dressed in a white Nike jacket and cap. "I have gotten to know many good pals who can exchange gossip on football, the terrorist attacks and local opera."

Luo and his wife are among 76 people between the ages of 60 and 97 living in the senior citizen apartment building on Caixiang Street.

The apartment, opened in 1997, offers a 24-hour elderly caring center. Services include daily nursing, health care and recreation to make sure the gray-haired members can enjoy the rest of their lives. A member is charged 600 yuan (US$72) a month.

Unlike welfare houses funded by the state budget, the apartment was built with 1.5 million yuan (US$180,722), from the local neighborhood and limited subsidies from local authorities.

"We hope this can blaze a new trail in the elderly-care business in China. By encouraging a neighborhood to get deeply involved in such a cause, it can help keep China's rapidly expanding population under control," said Zhang Qinqin, a top civil affairs official in Jinchang District of Suzhou.

After four years of operation, the center finally secured a financial balance last year and is expected to recoup its first profit this year.

The money will be used to renovate the facilities and expand the apartment building, some of the investors said.

More updated services are possible, including a high-tech caring call service. The service works like this: The elderly wear a gadget similar to a beeper and press it when they feel sick or need help. Since it is hooked up to the staff's offices, workers will come to their aid within 15 minutes.

"I felt relieved when consigning the care of my father to the center earlier this year," said Huang Manting, 34. "I used to worry a lot about my dad when I was not with him. I cannot care for him personally as I have to work."

Now Huang can pick her dad up from the center every day after work. "The services are good, and I trust the staff," Huang said.

(China Daily 10/22/2001)