Wang Qiyan, senior researcher of the Yangtze River Economic Belt Research Institute of Renmin University of China, and director of the Leisure Economy Research Center of Renmin University of China
Li Mingming, a doctoral student at the School of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University
On March 1, 2022, 15 departments including the National Health Commission jointly issued the “14th Five-Year Plan” Healthy Aging Plan (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). The “Plan” proposes, “By 2025, the allocation of elderly health service resources will be more reasonable, a comprehensive and continuous elderly health service system covering both urban and rural areas will be basically established, the elderly health security system will be more complete, the social environment for the healthy life of the elderly will be more friendly, and the elderly will be more friendly. Health needs have been better met, the health of the elderly has been continuously improved, and healthy life expectancy has been extended.” The goals of the Plan are very clear, but it should also be seen that the task is quite arduous.
Emphasis on the quality of life. The Plan mentions the goal of “continuously increasing healthy life expectancy”. The life expectancy here is increasing, which is commonly referred to as “longevity.” But unhealthy longevity is meaningless, quality of life is valuable. Health here includes both physical and mental health.
For all seniors. First, full coverage of health services. The service targets are all the elderly, regardless of urban or rural areas or regions. Anyone who is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China can enjoy it. Second, equalization of health services. The plan proposes to “actively promote the balanced development of urban and rural and regional elderly health services to ensure fair access to elderly health services”. As far as the current situation is concerned, there are still great differences between urban and rural areas and between regions in the medical and health services for the elderly, which are not only reflected in the number of medical and health institutions, but also in the quality of services, but equalization is the direction of our efforts. Third, jointly build an age-friendly society. Let the elderly adapt to digital development and share the digital economy. Implement the aging-friendly renovation project for the elderly at home, and carry out the “smart assistance for the elderly” campaign to solve the “digital divide” of the elderly.
Make it clear that “the first responsible person is yourself”. First, improve health awareness. The elderly can also pursue a high-quality life, and health is the basis for enjoying a happy life. Without health, happiness is impossible. Be the first responsible person, be responsible for your own health, establish a positive outlook on aging, and improve your health awareness and sense of responsibility. Second, consciously develop a healthy and active lifestyle. Cultivate a healthy diet and regular work and rest, improve active health ability, enrich life through study, travel, participation in public welfare, sports activities, etc., and prolong healthy life virtually. Third, learn healthcare knowledge and skills. Use medical and health care to prevent diseases in advance, such as learning Chinese medicine health care knowledge, medicinal diet therapy, mastering Taijiquan, Wuqinxi sports skills, etc., to enhance physical fitness and reduce the risk of disease.
Promoting the high-quality development of elderly health services. First, strengthen health education services. Through publicity and education and other means, improve the active health concept and ability of the elderly. It mainly includes popularizing health awareness education, health knowledge, and healthy sports skills, etc., so that the elderly want to be healthy, be healthy, and be healthy. Second, optimize medical services for the elderly. Focusing on continuous services, establish medical institutions and health organizations, and establish a coordination mechanism between relevant departments to improve the capacity and management level of geriatric medical services. Market-oriented, promote the development of the combination of medical and elderly care, increase the attack on the combination of medical and elderly care services, and improve the quality of services. Third, strengthen the construction of service teams. Strengthen the construction of geriatric medicine disciplines, high-level personnel training, and professional personnel training, and at the same time strengthen the cooperation between colleges and medical and health institutions, and improve the medical literacy of the geriatric health service team. Fourth, use digitalization to boost the transformation and upgrading of the aging health industry. Promote the development of science and technology and industry for healthy aging, strengthen scientific research on the health of the elderly, and support the transformation of scientific research results. Use artificial intelligence, virtual reality and other technical means to promote the production of intelligent elderly care equipment, construction of elderly care facilities, and management of elderly health information, and at the same time promote the in-depth integration and development of elderly health and cultural tourism, sports, health care and other industries, and realize the transformation and upgrading of the elderly health industry. ,sustainable development.
Healthy China is a strategic goal to prioritize people’s health, and the Sunset Project is the care of the party and the state for the elderly. To coordinately promote the Healthy China strategy and actively respond to the national strategy of population aging, we must continue to meet the health needs of the elderly, steadily improve the health of the elderly, and promote healthy aging.