A significant number of senior citizens rely on financial assistance provided by the government for their public transport needs. (Photo : www.storify.com)
The local government of Huairou District has announced the establishment of the first pilot rural retirement community in Huairou District on May 9, according to an article published on womenofchina.cn.
The report said that the retirement community based in Huairou's Tianxianyu Village includes 30 courtyard homes, which have undergone renovation since July last year to better suit the needs and requirements of the elderly people.
According to the report, the builders of the houses have incorporated elements from Chinese opera and traditional medicine into the decor of the courtyard homes. One-third of the houses have been reserved to be used as homes for elderly people, while the rest will be rented out for short-term stays.
A health-care center with professional medical staff and equipment was also established within the community, the report said.
The current price range is from 60,000 to 120,000 yuan per person for one year, and the community is looking at middle to high-end clientele.
Sun Jiankun, a village official, said that the retirement community is expected to bring economic benefits to the local villagers as well as help alleviate the burden on retirement facilities in the city which have already overstretched their resources.
According to the Guo'ao Group, the operator of the retirement community, the company has already paid 17 million yuan to lease the homes from their original owners in the villages.
The operator added that the establishment of the retirement community would also provide opportunity for local people to have jobs as elderly care assistants.
The report said that the village will receive 10 percent profit from the company, which is to bring 2,500 yuan to each person.
An official of Huairou District said that the establishment of the retirement community in a rural area will be a new way to give homes to an aging population. The official added that they will seek to establish other retirement communities based on the varying demands of potential consumers.
