'Virtual nursing home’ may be the answer  

湖南长沙“虚拟养老院”破解“一床难求”

(ECNS) -- In an effort to explore elder care solutions for China's rapidly aging society, a pilot "virtual nursing home" has been launched in Changsha, Hunan province.

As one of the major projects initiated by the China National Committee on Aging, the "virtual nursing home" program was launched by the civil affairs department in the city's Yuhua district on Oct. 25.

The "virtual nursing home" is a free online information service platform that links housebound senior citizens with for-profit and non-profit service providers.

After registering on the platform, housebound elderly can get access to various services by dialing the platform's hotlines without leaving their homes.

The platform is partnering with all kinds of service providers, such as appliance maintenance companies, housekeeping agencies, and health clubs. Professional personnel from those companies and agencies can provide on-the-spot services to senior citizens with mobility problems.

Compared with real nursing centers, the virtual one is cost effective, according to Wu Lan, director of the civil affairs department of Yuhua district.

"In traditional nursing homes, the arrangement of one bed per person can cost as much as 150,000 yuan ($24,619), with land costs and construction costs," Wu said.

With the virtual one, by investing only 5 million yuan, the municipal government can help benefit 50,000 people within five years, Wu added.

Currently, nursing centers in Changsha charge 2,000 yuan to 4,000 yuan a month, which is not affordable for most local retirees, and paying more won't guarantee a bed, according to the civil affairs department.