Turning old is not horrible with certain conveniences
No matter what country you are in, it is impossible to stop your society from turning into an aging one. And in China, the situation is the same. Currently in China, the population above the age of 60 is over 180 million, covering 13.3% of the total population. But according to Du Peng, professor at Renmin University, by the end of 2040, the number will exceed 400 million, or 25% of the country's population.
"It is not ok to just copy other country's methods of dealing with the aging society in China," said Coughlin who has been researching the aging society in China. "The country needs a solution combining services, technologies, and other resources."
But in China, people who really focus on aging problems are rare. Furthermore, the public facilities do not meet the requirements of senior citizens. In Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu Province, crossing a road can be hard for a senior citizen in the time span given to them by the light.
The problem in Nanjing is not unique, but can be found in other cities, too. While in many foreign countries, senior citizens are considered more when designing facilities. They will install a button which old people can use to prolong the crossing time, said Du.
"Turning old is not that bad if the facilities have been provided to help," said Wang Ying, a co-worker of Coughlin. "In many cities in America, I often see people with gray hair going to a music concert or ballet dance."
"With good conditions, being old can be romantic," said a Chinese girl who studies in the United States. "Especially if the government, companies, engineers, and researchers can do more to make the transportation, housing, education, and entertainment more suitable for the old."
