[Post 801] ‘It’s Okay To Send Mum To A Nursing Home’: China’s Changing Face Of Filial Piety

Summary

As China rapidly ages, notions of filial piety are shifting. More adult children are embracing nursing homes as a viable way to care for their ageing parents and grandparents - rather than as a last resort for the elderly. 

But with a nationwide shortage of eldercare staff and affordable facilities, most top-notch private nursing homes remain out of reach, while cheaper public ones have months-long waiting lists. The situation is even more dire in rural areas, which have only 1.7 million beds for over 100 million elderly people.

As Beijing plays catch up in boosting the country’s eldercare sector, will nursing homes continue to grow in acceptance among Chinese families? Or will the social stigma of using them persist?