Niu Siyu, a primary school student, performs an Indian dance for the elderly at a seniors' apartment in Xuchang, Henan province, on Oct 8, 2016. Niu Yuan / For China Daily

High-end nursing home projects planned as average age rises

A joint venture by French nursing home operator Colisee Group and China Merchants Shekou Holdings Co plans to open its first Chinese complex in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in January as the starting point for its ambition to tap the rapidly growing demand for elderly care services in China.

Located in Guangzhou's Panyu district, the new high-end medical nursing home - Guangzhou Panyu International Senior Care and Recovery Center - will combine independent living communities, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and care options to provide a "continuum of care" for residents, says Olivier Dessajan, general manager of Guangzhou China Merchants-Colisee Senior Care Service Co.

In the 12,000-square-meter, 132-bed facility, half of those beds will be dedicated to those with Alzheimer's or other associated diseases.

"We are mostly focusing on the wealthy class," Dessajan says.

"Based on our expertise of senior care services in France, especially with taking care of elderly people with Alzheimer's or other cognitive dysfunctions, semi-dependent and dependent elderly people are our main service targets."

Each resident will have a room and a customized daily program based on experience, habits, tastes and health condition, with a nursing service always on hand.

Innovative health and care programs will be provided to help improve the residents' mental and physical condition, combining medical treatment, nondrug therapy, occupational therapy, the Montessori method and an adapted nutritional diet.

"As Alzheimer's experts, we work step-by-step with the elderly and their families to understand and diagnose the disease in order to accompany the elderly in the best way until the final stage of life," he says.

"As there is not yet a pension institution in Guangzhou that can provide some particular services for Alzheimer's, when we talk about our project and expertise lots of people have shown interest," Dessajan says.

Guangzhou has seen a sharp increase in demand for senior care services, with the proportion of elderly in its population continuing to grow, says Ye Fen, director of the social welfare division of the Guangzhou Civil Affairs Bureau.

The number of seniors in its population currently stands at 1.48 million - or 17.3 percent of the total population of the city - including 238,000 above the age of 80 and 268,000 people in families with only seniors.

Ye says the senior population in Guangzhou is expected to surpass 1.85 million by 2020, creating growing demand in the elderly care service market.

About 59,000 beds are provided in Guangzhou currently, averaging 40 for every 1,000 elderly people.

Last month, a new nursing home complex was opened in Luogang district, which offers 1,300 beds.

Guangdong Trading Holding Group Co announced in February it plans to invest in a 5,000-bed nursing home project in Conghua district.

"According to official studies, the Chinese market for goods and services for seniors is growing very fast, both for the high-end and low-end market. China will be without doubt the largest potential market for elderly care in the world," Dessajan says.

The senior care industry has developed quickly over the last five years but remains woefully inadequate to cope with the projected increase in the elderly population in China, according to a recent report by Savills, an international real estate adviser.

Documents from China's State Council and the Guangzhou city government highlight Sino-foreign cooperation in the sector.

The French consulate general in Guangzhou and the civil affairs bureau in the city signed a memorandum of understanding last month on elderly care cooperation. That was an outcome of the long-term blueprint for the development of Sino-French ties, published during a visit to France in 2014 by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Cooperation in elderly care has become a new priority in bilateral ties, says Pierre Martin, economic counselor with the consulate.

With 30 years' experience in senior care and management, Colisee Group runs 77 nursing homes and several rehabilitation centers in Europe.

China Merchants-Colisee is designing a project in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and conducting a feasibility study for projects in Beijing and Shanghai.

Zhang Yingshu contributed to this story.

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