(McKnight’s) The growing demand for nursing homes in China has dramatically outpaced the government’s ability to provide oversight, leaving that country’s long-term care industry in a state similar to that in the U.S. 40 or 50 years ago, according to a new study.
Researchers at Brown University looked at the shifting demographics in China, and the impact on nursing homes in several cities in that country. By 2040, roughly 22.6% of the Chinese population, or approximately 329 million people, will be over the age of 65, up from just 8.3% today. In several cities around China, the number of nursing homes has grown exponentially over the last few decades, according to the report. In Nanjing, the number of nursing homes has risen from three in 1980 to 140 in 2009; in Tanjin, the number grew from 11 in 1990 to 136 in 2009.