中国高级护理市场面临挑战

 　　China Research Center on Aging yesterday unveiled a research report on the development of the country's senior care facilities. The first of its kind, the report highlights the challenges faced by China's current geriatric care sector¹.

　　The report says the demand for senior care far exceeds the current available supply. At the end of 2014, there were 212 million people over the age of 60 in China. Over 40 million of them were disabled. For every thousand people over the age of 60, there were 26 nursing home beds available in China. That is compared to the 50 to 70 beds available for every thousand people over the age of 65 in developed countries.

　　Secondly², the report finds many nursing homes are not strategically positioned to meet the demands of most seniors.

　　中国高级护理市场面临挑战

　　Wu Yushao, Director of China Research Center on Aging explains:

　　"Most current nursing homes are positioned either in the very high-end or very low-end of the service spectrum³, failing to meet the demands of those in the middle, where the need for affordable⁴ and proper care is most significant."

　　The research surveyed around 300 nursing homes in 12 major Chinese cities. The average monthly fees for one person amounted to 2,134 yuan, or about 343 US dollars. However, China's average monthly pension income for retired⁵ persons currently stands at 2,061 yuan, or about 332 US dollars, per person. On the other hand, low profit margins⁶ and long term investments have also caused half of the surveyed nursing homes to only break even, while one third of them are operating at a loss.

　　Another issue is the service capabilities⁷ of the current facilities. Half of the current nursing homes do not offer any medical or health related services. Beyond meeting clients' physical needs, many facilities are not capable of ensuring their emotional wellbeing.

　　Wang Lili, deputy supervisor⁸ of the research, further elaborates:

　　"Most nursing homes are lacking in professionals who can offer emotional comfort to the elderly. Many care givers are between the ages of 40 to 50, with little education. They are more focused on how to physically⁹ care for their clients, which presents the issues of professional awareness¹⁰ and capability¹¹."

　　Experts say China urgently needs a national standard to assess and categorize the services offered by nursing homes, so that older people, based on their individual needs, can receive the appropriate levels of services. The government can then increase its support to these facilities based on their specific needs.

　　Looking ahead, Wu Yushao, the director of China Research Center on Aging, predicts that private enterprises will become the major players in China's senior care sector, offering smaller facilities, more specific and more community-based services.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

3 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

6 margins   

边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数

参考例句：

• They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
• To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙，加左或者右的margins来定义链接。

7 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

9 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

10 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

11 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。