4 | Tuesday, July 30, 2019 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY CHINA Disability rate among elderly sparks efforts Nation to target early signs of trouble, especially illnesses tied to dementia By WANG XIAOYU he said. “Gradually, critical condi
[email protected] tions including strokes and respi ratory failure might surface and Even though China increased its result in disabilities.” average life span to 77 years last Chen said it is therefore signifi year, the country’s seniors often cant to precisely detect early signs of live the last eight years of their lives disability and allow elderly patients in poor health, the National Health to receive effective diagnosis and Commission said on Monday. treatment as soon as possible. The average healthy life expectan According to Wang, the depart cy in China — an indicator used by ment of aging and health, which the World Health Organization to was established in September dur measure years of good health a new ing a government reshuffle, has born can expect — stands at 68.7 been improving grassroots medical years, meaning severe diseases drag services targeting the older popula down the quality of life for the elder tion by conducting more physical ly for nearly a decade, said Wang examinations for the elderly and Children learn to play ice hockey at a rink in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Monday. DING GENHOU / FOR CHINA DAILY Haidong, director of the commis formulating new guidelines intend sion’s aging and health department. ed to smooth out services at elderly “There are more than 180 million oriented hospitals.