Nanjing Urban Planning Bureau announced its first plan for the layout of elderly care establishments on 8th February. It is shown in the announcement that the number of elderly establishments in Nanjing will be increased by 240% to 645, which means every 1000 elderly persons may share 50 beds. 5 years later, a home care service center should be set up in every community to provide convenience to the elderly people in the adjacent area.

Statistics show that more than 70 elderly care establishments in Nanjing have been removed or relocated in the recent 3 years due to urban construction, with over 4000 beds reduced. By analysis of this issue, Zhao Jun, the Deputy Director of Nanjing Civil Affairs Bureau, said that this happened as a result of imperfect planning for the layout of elderly care establishments. Hence, the new plan for the layout of elderly care establishments in Nanjing will be used as a guideline for all districts, not only to increase elderly care establishments in appropriate time, but also to timely make up for what is missing in the elderly care establishment in the event of redesign and redevelopment of old urban areas.

With regard to this matter, according to Zhang Jianchu, it had been clearly pointed out in the Opinions on Offering Elderly Care Services announced by Nanjing in August 2014 that, developers who obtained land for elderly care purpose would be given a series of preferential policies. This will be the key to promote developers to enter into the senior housing industry. He said, “The announcement of this new plan for the layout of elderly care service establishments means more elderly service establishments will be needed and more real estate enterprises will be encouraged to enter into the senior housing industry.”

In addition, the above document also requires the elderly care establishments be laid out in the urban and township communities where elderly people converge, as elderly care services are highly needed there. It would be best if an elderly care establishment is located in a place which is easily accessible with traffic for the convenience of people to visit their old parents, far away from sources of pollution and noise and from those places where hazardous products are produced and stored, and with favorable green conditions and fresh air. In consideration of the needs for both medical services and health care services, the elderly care establishments should be set up in adjacency to medical and health establishments for the convenience of the elderly people to see a doctor.

At the same time, according to the plan, one community home care service center shall be established for every 5000 to 10000 elderly people in the urban area of Nanjing City and its services should cover an area within 200 to 250 meters in the radius. Each center will have a space of 120m2 to 150m2 and 5 to 10 day care beds for use.

It is also specified in the plan that a home care service center be set up in every community service center at the basic level by 2020.