China struggles to keep pace with ageing population

Chinese aged care practices lag about 15 years behind Australian standards, according to a Victorian delegation recently returned from cross-cultural exchange.

Ten staff from Southern Cross Care in Victoria (SCCV) travelled to Changun in May for a 12-day study tour to exchange industry best practice with the Chinese.

Now they have returned, the group’s experiences confirm that aged care remains in its infancy in the world's most populous nation.

SCCV deputy CEO Ian Barton, who led the group, said he found Chinese providers were yet to develop individual care plans.

“Their model of care is still very much based around a medical approach and is not focused on the needs of the individual,” Mr Barton said.

He also said they also know very little about dementia, treating it as a mental illness rather than a chronic condition.

Mr Barton said China’s aged care workforce is grappling with a rapidly ageing population after years of one-child policy.

“While there has been a growth spurt in the number of nursing homes across China in recent years, they are mostly unregulated, privately owned and do not receive the level of government funding and support that we see in Australia,” Mr Barton said.

He said the number of people trained in aged care is lacking, and many who are involved in the provision of services to older people are not fully qualified as aged care professionals.

“This was evident when we observed their manual handling practices, OHS and infection control practices,” he said.

Yet Mr Barton contested there was still much to be learned from Chinese custom when caring for the elderly.

“In a country famous for its Confucian traditions of filial obedience, we are impressed by how respectful they are towards older people,” he said.

Mr Barton said the focus on large gardens in nursing homes was a particularly admirable quality.

“In Changchun we saw wide expanses of gardens as a main feature in the aged care homes we visited.

“Irrespective of their mobility and dexterity, residents were seen using the gardens for walks or tai chi, or working in self-sufficient gardens.

“In fact, we were amazed to see residents over 100 years old enjoying the gardens.”

Image: Residents of Be Loved Nursing Home working in the self-sufficient garden. CONTRIBUTED.