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China and Britain seek closer cooperation on healthy aging technology
By Global Times – Xinhua Source:Global Times - Xinhua Published: 2019/12/23 17:33:39
Upgrading elderly care to new levels
As one of the most aged cities in China, Shanghai had 5.03 million people, 34.4 percent of the city's population, with household registration certificates aged 60 and above in 2018.
Meanwhile, the country is home to about 240 million people aged 60 or above. China will have a population of 487 million aged 60 or above by around 2050, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency in October, citing data from the Office of the National Working Commission on Aging.
The UK also faces the similar situation. By 2050, the Office for National Statistics projects that one in four people in Britain will be aged 65 years and over, an increase from approximately one in five in 2018.
Meanwhile, the country is home to about 240 million people aged 60 or above. China will have a population of 487 million aged 60 or above by around 2050, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency in October, citing data from the Office of the National Working Commission on Aging.
The UK also faces the similar situation. By 2050, the Office for National Statistics projects that one in four people in Britain will be aged 65 years and over, an increase from approximately one in five in 2018.
Attendees pose at the event. Photo: Courtesy of the British Consulate General in Shanghai
How can China and Britain work together to provide better healthcare services? This was addressed at an event held by the British Consulate General in Shanghai last week.Organized by UK Science and Innovation Network, the event focused on the biological principles of aging, the protection of brain cognitive functions, and the application of new technologies to meet the demand of the elderly population from Britain as well as learn from Shanghai's experience in developing the healthy aging chain.
Despite different development paths and legacies, China and the UK share a lot of similarities in healthcare conditions for senior citizens, in terms of home based integrated service and smart elderly care.
Araminta Ledger, from Cambridge University Health Partners, a speaker at the event said that the UK has launched an integrated neighborhood working in the primary care sector of a specific community covering a large number of residents.
It is also working on the community-based rehabilitation and digital self-care services, supporting aging patients with long-term conditions to return to exercise, using wearable technology, education and peer support.
A good solution in Shanghai is to provide high quality healthcare and to deliver elderly care in a smart way, using smart technology to improve the efficiency of healthcare as well as reduce the cost of service, Yang Wuqing, an expert on smart elderly care, said at the event.
"We are fortunate that the new technologies are developing fast, including internet based technologies, Internet of Things, big data and robotics. We are now able to incorporate these technologies into the elderly care services," he said.
In 2019, a digital program in the Yangpu district of Shanghai was launched to deliver in-home care services for the elderly population 30 kilometers away from the nursing home.
Yang Wuqing makes an introduction to the audience. Photo: Courtesy of the British Consulate General in Shanghai
Photo: cnsphoto
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