Illustration: Lu Ting/GT

The one-child policy was introduced in 1979 to curb China's booming population growth. In three decades, the government credits the policy with preventing 400 million births, but the policy has also brought endless pain to tens of thousands of families after their only child passed away. These couples that have lost their only child are known as "orphan parents," or "shidu families."

Some orphan parents are able to have another child. But for couples where the woman is over a certain age, it is hard to get pregnant again, not to mention that many have spent their life savings on raising and supporting their first child.

By the end of 2012, there were 39,000 families in Shanghai that had lost their only child. Among them, 24,000 couples were over 50, representing 60 percent of the families. The latest figures by the Shanghai Committee of the China Democratic League revealed that there were roughly 8,000 shidu families in Shanghai in the first half of 2013. And the number of orphan parents is expected to increase to 50,000 in the next 10 or 20 years.

Traditionally, most Chinese parents rely on their children when their health deteriorates, and expect children to support and look after them when they get old. But to these orphan parents, they not only need to tackle grief, but also face illness, physical and mental decline, economic hardship and even marital difficulties without help from their offspring.

Therefore, the national- and city-level governments should give orphan parents more support, from financial subsidies to psychological counseling. Currently, the city government gives each shidu family in Shanghai an allowance of 500 yuan ($82) a month.

Most of these orphan parents are retired seniors. Their major sources of economic support are their pension and the city subsidy. Unlike many other families, they don't have financial support from descendants, and many suffer from chronic ill-health.

Though money could never solve their need for family affection, a higher subsidy would help them enjoy better living conditions, and give them the chance to escape the confines of their apartments.

I think the monthly subsidy for shidu families should be raised. Social organizations could also organize fund-raising for orphan parents to receive donations from the wider community.

I personally know a couple who lost their only son when they were in their 50s. The boy had just graduated from a prestigious university when he was diagnosed with cancer. After their son died, the couple's hair turned grey almost overnight. Relatives and friends talked to them for months before they could cope with their grief, and they finally decided to travel the country instead of staying at home.

Travel cannot solve everything, but it's an opportunity for bereaved parents to emerge from the shadow of grief and reintegrate into society. A higher subsidy may help them to realize similar plans.

In addition to higher financial support, emotional consolation and social care should be strengthened. Some of the orphan parents are divorced or have lost their spouse, so when they need to be hospitalized or go into nursing homes, they have no close family at all.

The subdistrict committee in each residential compound should have every orphan parent within their jurisdiction registered, and pair social workers or volunteers with them. Routine visits from volunteers can help bereaved parents come to terms with their loss and find meaning in their lives again.

The good news for such shidu families in Shanghai is that the Shanghai Committee of the China Democratic League has just submitted a proposal during the city's annual two sessions this week. The proposal is designed to give extra government benefits and support to orphan couples, according to a Wednesday Global Times story. Let's hope the proposal is approved soon to bring comfort and support to Shanghai's shidu families.