CARE: Liu Xuehua, a caregiver at a nursing home in Huinong District, Shizuishan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, helps a senior woman with her grooming (LIU QUANLONG)

The survey revealed the unattended elderly residents encountered various difficulties in their lives and suffered severely from loneliness.

"Senior people need different care. Some need help with personal care such as bathing; some need assistance with housework such as cooking and cleaning, and others need medical services," Wu said.

He said the proposed chapter on social nursing care in the draft amendment specified three service models—first, home care provided by caregivers from nursing homes, volunteers and social workers; second, community care including services such as medical treatment, cultural and entertainment activities, short-term care and daycare, and third, care provided by nursing homes.

Needs of the disabled

Disabled old people should be given particular attention in the amended Law on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, said Liu Xiaobing, a law professor at China University of Political Science and Law.

At the end of 2010, China had approximately 33 million disabled people aged 60 years and older, accounting for 19 percent of the total senior population, says a report recently released by the China National Committee on Ageing.

About 10.8 million elderly people, or 6.23 percent of all, were totally disabled and needed care, the report says. The report defines a senior as totally disabled if he or she cannot carry out at least one of the following daily activities independently—eating, getting on and off a bed, using the bathroom, walking indoor and bathing.

Currently, a majority of disabled elderly people are not properly cared for. Statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs show in 2009, China had nearly 40,000 homes for the aged, which had 2.66 million beds and accommodated 2.11 million people. Yet no more than 17 percent of all residents were disabled.

"Many homes for the aged are not well-equipped for residents in poor health," said Zhang Kaidi, Director of the China Research Center on Ageing. "No more than 60 percent of the homes have a clinic and no more than 20 percent have a physical rehabilitation therapy section. In rural areas, more than half of the homes for the aged do not have a doctor."

Moreover, nearly half of the homes said they only or mainly accepted seniors who can take care of themselves, Zhang said.

At present, it is difficult for able-bodied seniors to get into public homes for the aged, which are more affordable. Many of these institutions have a long waiting list.

Nonetheless, private homes for the aged, especially high-end ones and ones located in suburban areas, have low occupancy rates, as low as 30 percent. But as they are usually inconveniently located or lack necessary medical facilities, many elderly people are reluctant to settle there.

In a survey conducted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics in 2010, 55 percent of respondents said they didn't want to live in homes for the aged at all, and 31.6 percent replied they might choose to spend their remaining years in these homes after reaching a certain age. Among those unwilling to live in retirement homes, 18.3 percent said they could not afford living there.

"When protecting the rights and interests of elderly people, there should be an awareness their needs are common but differentiated," said Liu. "On one hand, seniors should be guaranteed equal rights; on the other hand, differences among elderly people should be taken into consideration."

The government can subsidize disabled elderly people to obtain the nursing care services they want, and purchase community services and equipment for them, Liu said.

Zhang said the new law should set up an insurance system for long-term care for the elderly, and specify financial incentives given to institutions for taking care of disabled seniors.