In recent years, the cross city elderly care model has quietly become a new choice for many elderly people in first tier cities. So what is cross city elderly care? It refers to elderly people in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou who go to cities with good living environments and lower living costs to start a new way of retirement in their later years. So the question is, what kind of software and hardware support are needed to attract elderly people from first tier cities to surrounding cities? Next, we will use different cases from the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta region to understand how the quietly emerging trend of cross city elderly care attracts elderly people. Firstly, we need to go to Yanjiao, Hebei to see the cross city elderly care cooperation under the coordinated development of Beijing Tianjin Hebei elderly care. Beijing Tianjin Hebei: What is the most important factor for elderly people to choose cross city elderly care? This elderly health care center located in Yanjiao, Hebei Province is one of the first pilot units for coordinated development of elderly care in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region. Currently, there are over 5000 elderly residents, 95% of whom come from Beijing. Relieve pressure, deepen the coordinated development of elderly care services in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region. Beijing is one of the cities in China with a fast aging rate. As of the end of 2023, the proportion of elderly people aged 60 and above in the permanent population has reached 22.6%. Some elderly people live in old residential areas, and their discomfort with aging is prominent; In urban areas, every inch of land is valuable, and there are few elderly care institutions, making it difficult to move in and charging higher fees. In order to alleviate the pressure of elderly care in Beijing, in 2016, Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei launched a pilot project for coordinated development of elderly care services. In March of this year, the civil affairs departments of the three regions jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Further Deepening the Coordinated Development of Elderly Care Services in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei Region", proposing to accelerate the extension and layout of high-quality elderly care resources and medical and health resources in Beijing to Tianjin and Hebei; Support Dongcheng District and Xicheng District of Beijing to build elderly care institutions in Tianjin and Hebei, and give priority to receiving the elderly with registered residence in the core area. Xicheng District of Beijing also stipulates that the elderly with registered residence in Xicheng District who live in the pension institutions in Tianjin, Hebei and other areas of coordinated development can receive 600 yuan per month of pension subsidies in other places. Beijing Tianjin Hebei: Small cities around Beijing and Tianjin offer better value for money for elderly care. Currently, over 120000 elderly people in Beijing and Tianjin are receiving health care in Hebei, living a relatively comfortable and cost-effective retirement life in the Beijing Tianjin region. This medical and elderly care institution located in Yanjiao, Hebei Province, has two elderly people living independently in a one bedroom and one living room of about 60 square meters, which costs more than 8000 yuan per month. Compared with other elderly care institutions with the same conditions in Beijing, it saves about one-third of the monthly expenses. Li Haiyan, head of the elderly care institution: Over 95% of our clients are still elderly people from Beijing, who have a high demand for cultural aspects. Therefore, we have established a senior university, which includes fitness centers, swimming pools, and more. We have also set up a nurse station on the first floor of each building, with professional healthcare doctors and nurses. Yangtze River Delta: Traveling for elderly care has become a new choice for some elderly people in recent years. They choose to travel and live in different places during different seasons, which is also known as "migratory bird style elderly care" or "vacation style elderly care". In the "Yangtze River Delta" regions such as Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui, the trend of living abroad for elderly care is quietly emerging. Shanghai is the earliest city in China to enter an aging society, with the elderly population aged 60 and above accounting for 36.8% of the city's permanent population. Since 2018, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Delta have launched pilot projects for regional elderly care integration, allocating elderly care resources on a larger scale and space. Vigorously developing the health and wellness tourism industry to attract elderly people from Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou. Located in the central area of the Yangtze River Delta, Huzhou City in Zhejiang Province has convenient transportation, with 30 minutes to Shanghai, 60 minutes to Nanjing and Hangzhou, and 90 minutes to all cities in the Yangtze River Delta. In recent years, Huzhou has vigorously developed the health and wellness tourism industry, focusing on the integration of traditional Chinese medicine recuperation, ecological health and wellness, and leisure vacation. A number of health and wellness livable towns have been built, attracting elderly people from big cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou to come here for short-term or long-term residence. At this farmhouse in Shuikou Township, Changxing County, most of the elderly people who are singing and dancing come from Shanghai. They come here several times a year, ranging from a month to a week. Language, climate, diet, accessibility, health, wellness, and travel are like "visiting relatives". Through word of mouth among friends, this travel team has grown from the initial three to five people to nearly fifty people. The elderly say that there are no language barriers in the "Yangtze River Delta" region, and the climate and diet are similar to Shanghai. Coming here for health and living is as friendly as visiting relatives. Integrate resources: Nearly 50000 beds in 108 elderly care institutions. Various forms of recreational and health care institutions have been planned and constructed in the Yangtze River Delta region. In response to the needs of elderly people with poor health conditions who require professional care, 108 elderly care institutions and nearly 50000 beds in nearly 40 cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui are open to the elderly in the Yangtze River Delta region. Xu Qihua, President of the Shanghai Elderly Care Service Industry Association: With the continuous acceleration of China's aging process, the payment ability and willingness of the elderly population have increased, especially the increasing demand for personalized and diversified elderly care in the future. It is more important for us to help the elderly realize themselves and transition from survival based elderly care to enjoyment based and participatory elderly care. Langfang, Hebei: The integration of medical care and elderly care adds a touch of happiness to the elderly. Let's take a look at the quietly emerging cross city elderly care. What is the most important thing for the elderly? On the one hand, elderly people choose to retire across cities because they can live in more comfortable and livable nursing homes for the same price; On the other hand, what the elderly value more is whether these elderly care institutions can provide medical, rehabilitation, and nursing services. In recent years, Langfang City in Hebei Province, which has undertaken a large number of remote elderly care tasks in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region, has been vigorously developing a new collaborative elderly care model that combines medical care and elderly care. 87 year old Beijing resident Ou Xingchang, who suffered from hemiplegia due to a cerebral infarction six years ago, has been admitted to this elderly care center in Langfang. After rehabilitation treatment, his physical condition has significantly improved. This elderly care institution has set up hotel style care areas and home style care areas based on the health status of the elderly. The hotel style maintenance area accommodates disabled and semi disabled elderly people, while the home style maintenance area mainly accommodates healthy and energetic elderly people. There are multiple traditional Chinese medicine therapy and rehabilitation institutions and a tertiary Grade A comprehensive hospital built in the maintenance center. Experts from Beijing's major hospitals come here year-round for outpatient visits, surgeries, teaching, and ward rounds. Wang Li, Vice President of Hebei Yanda Hospital: We attach great importance to the growth of these specialties related to the health of the elderly. In our cardiology, neurology, geriatrics and other fields, we have established corresponding connections with advantageous hospitals and disciplines. We have made great explorations in chronic disease management and attach great importance to the connection of our green channel, which can enable elderly people to call 120 for emergency treatment and arrive at the corresponding rescue location in the hospital within 10 minutes. 87 year old Liu Xijun suddenly fainted recently, and the nursing staff around him took timely treatment measures. As of the end of 2023, Langfang City has built 38 integrated medical and elderly care institutions, accounting for over 60% of elderly care institutions. At the same time, Langfang City continues to improve its direct settlement services for medical treatment in other places. Zhao Bo, Chief of the Medical Service Department of Langfang Medical Security Bureau: Provide medical insurance policy support to medical institutions within the health and wellness projects. Timely opening of outpatient coordination and settlement services for chronic and special diseases, as well as providing direct settlement services for cross provincial medical treatment, so that elderly people in Beijing and Tianjin can enjoy more convenient services in Langfang's health care. At present, designated medical institutions in Langfang have achieved full coverage of direct settlement for medical treatment in other places, and insured persons from Beijing Tianjin Hebei region are exempt from filing and receive the same treatment when seeking medical treatment in Langfang. Expert: Regional integration provides convenient conditions for cross city elderly care, which can balance the allocation of regional elderly care resources and better meet the elderly care needs of some elderly people. Experts believe that in recent years, the integrated development of regions such as Beijing Tianjin Hebei and the Yangtze River Delta has made cross city elderly care more convenient, and cross city elderly care will become a new choice for more elderly people in first tier cities. Taking the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region as an example, as of now, the 1-hour transportation circle in the core area of the region and the 1.5-hour transportation circle between adjacent cities have basically formed. At present, the continuous improvement of "same city" medical treatment and direct settlement of medical expenses in different cities within the Beijing Tianjin Hebei and Yangtze River Delta regions has also created conditions for cross city elderly care. Professor Liu Yuanli from the School of Health Management Policy at Peking Union Medical College: Apart from the comfort of the environment, the main consideration for remote elderly care is the cost-effectiveness of life. So, what is particularly important? Can the problem of seeking medical treatment in different places be solved. In recent years, our country has put a lot of effort into solving the problem of remote elderly care and medical treatment. For example, from 2019 to 2023, during these four years, the number of cross provincial network designated inpatient institutions in our country has increased from over 5000 to more than 80000, solving the accessibility of medical treatment in different places and greatly promoting elderly care in different places. Experts suggest that the integration of medical culture and sports should meet diverse needs. Currently, the elderly care needs of the silver haired generation are showing a trend towards diversification and individualization. On the basis of providing medical care and other services, cross city elderly care should also meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the elderly. Efforts should be made to promote the extension of high-quality public cultural resources from central cities to surrounding cities, coordinate the integrated construction of regional medical, cultural, sports and other infrastructure, further narrow the gap in public services within the region, and create more convenient conditions for cross city elderly care. What are the supporting points behind the quiet rise of cross city elderly care? From the cases of the Beijing Tianjin Hebei and Yangtze River Delta that we have introduced to you, it can be seen that cross city elderly care has quietly become a new choice for many elderly people in first tier cities. So, what are the supporting points behind the rise of cross city elderly care in the past two years? Click on the video to listen to the interpretation of Du Peng, Director of the Institute of Gerontology at Renmin University of China. (New Society)