As China’s birth rate continues to decline and the number of single-person households climbs, the question of how to care for the elderly is becoming a defining social issue. According to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, China now has 310 million people aged 60 and above. By around 2035, that number is expected to exceed 400 million, accounting for more than 30% of the total population.
By the end of 2024, the country’s average life expectancy had risen to 79 years. As the gradual retirement-delay policy takes effect, perceptions of what it means to be “old” are shifting. Many argue that with improved healthcare and living standards, 60 is no longer the threshold of old age.
The silver economy has become a focal point of policy and market attention, seen as a potential new growth engine. Behind the macroeconomic promise lies a more personal concern. For many, the questions are direct and pressing: Will my pension be enough? Where will extra income for old age come from? Who will take care of me? Which retirement models are reliable? And how can one age with dignity and independence? — None of these are questions we can afford to ignore.
