LOS ANGELES: New large skilled nursing homes will not be built in Beijing or its suburbs by the Chinese Government, a city official said, citing the high cost of land and operations in the capital and surrounding areas.
Aged-care services will not be completely shifted out of Beijing, like other industries, but smaller operations will be necessary, Li Wanjun, head of Beijing Bureau of Civil Affairs said. Non-Chinese investors and partners are being sought to underpin development.
“Beijing is too crowded to provide a comfortable living environment for elderly people,” Li said.
Neighbouring areas, including Hebei province and Tianjin, are expected to provide such services to seniors from Beijing, Li said. Even in Beijing suburbs, the cost of care for the elderly is about one-third of the cost of services in the city.
China Standard, a Beijing company, has started to build a skilled nursing home community in Gaobeidian, Hebei province, about 80 kilometres away from Beijing, Li said. “But investors are being encouraged”…