China requiring people to visit their aged parents

[Fu Lai]

It is sad this has to be legislated. Family care is a main reason I chose China as my home. Shame on those selfish to not care for your elders...

China requiring people to visit their aged parents

 

BEIJING (AP) — Visit your parents. That's an order.

 

So says China, whose national legislature on Friday amended its law on the elderly to require that adult children visit their aged parents "often" — or risk being sued by them.

 

The amendment does not specify how frequently such visits should occur.

 

State media say the new clause will allow elderly parents who feel neglected by their children to take them to court. The move comes as reports abound of elderly parents being abandoned or ignored by their children.

 

A rapidly developing China is facing increasing difficulty in caring for its aging population. Three decades of market reforms have accelerated the breakup of the traditional extended family in China, and there are few affordable alternatives, such as retirement or care homes, for the elderly or others unable to live on their own.

 

Earlier this month, state media reported that a grandmother in her 90s in the prosperous eastern province of Jiangsu had been forced by her son to live in a pig pen for two years. News outlets frequently carry stories about other parents being abused or neglected, or of children seeking control of their elderly parents' assets without their knowledge.

 

The expansion of China's elderly population is being fueled both by an increase in life expectancy — from 41 to 73 over five decades — and by family planning policies that limit most families to a single child. Rapid aging poses serious threats to the country's social and economic stability, as the burden of supporting the growing number of elderly passes to a proportionately shrinking working population and the social safety net remains weak.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Fu Lai (see edit history)

[Randy W]

This is what is widely reported in the Western press.

 

The law was actually passed in 1996 - Law of the People's Republic of China on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly - and amended by the Standing Committee - Draft law to regulate elderly care institutions - with modifications for single child elders, but nothing new concerning visitation.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Fu Lai]

Friday 28th December, 2012

Elderly people in China empowered to seek legal help if neglected

 

China National News

http://www.chinanationalnews.com/photo_story/cae8fbd1d1551619.jpg

 

• China has amended its law on the elderly to ensure adult children visit their aged parents "often" -- or risk being sued by them

• The new clause will allow elderly parents who feel neglected by their children to take them to court.

• China has nearly 167 million people aged over 60, and one million above 80.

 

BEIJING - China Friday amended its law on the elderly to require that adult children visit their aged parents "often" - or risk being sued by them.

The amendment however does not specify the frequency of such visits.

 

State media say the new clause will allow elderly parents who feel neglected by their children to take them to court.

 

A rapidly developing China is facing increasing difficulty in caring for its aging population. Three decades of market reforms have accelerated the breakup of the traditional extended family in China, and there are few affordable alternatives, such as retirement or care homes, for the elderly or others unable to live on their own.

 

Breakup of the traditional extended family in China over the last few decades is increasingly seeing the elderly people being left to fend for themselves.

With few affordable alternatives, such as retirement or care homes for the elderly, most are forced to live on their own with no state security to fall back on. The lot of the elderly is thus generally worrying.

 

Reports suggest a growing number of elderly Chinese have been abandoned or neglected by their offspring.

 

Earlier this month, state media reported that in the prosperous eastern province of Jiangsu a woman in her 90s had been forced by her son to live in a pig pen for two years. Reports of parents being abused or neglected, or of children seeking control of their elderly parents' assets without their knowledge have become frequent..

 

China has nearly 167 million people aged over 60, and one million above 80.

 

China's family planning policies that limit most families to a single child is seeing a situation where elderly parents have few alternatives if their child abandons them.

 

Increasing life expectancy from 41 to 73 over five decades poses its share of risks to the country's social and economic stability with the number of elderly rising faster compared to the proportionately shrinking working population.

 

Search for employment often sees the children settling in industrial hubs far from their parents, who are left to fend for themselves.

 

In the last two years, elder-abuse cases in Hong Kong have risen 15%, the South China Morning Post reported earlier this year. "Because of Chinese culture, elderly people are reluctant to reveal the disgraceful affairs of their families," the director of one advocacy group, Against Elderly Abuse, told the newspaper.

 

While the new law is partially intended to sustain the family unity that may be starting to fray in China, it's also an attempt to ensure that the oldest and weakest members of society are cared for.

[Randy W]

Friday 28th December, 2012

Elderly people in China empowered to seek legal help if neglected

 

China National News

http://www.chinanationalnews.com/photo_story/cae8fbd1d1551619.jpg

 

• China has amended its law on the elderly to ensure adult children visit their aged parents "often" -- or risk being sued by them

• The new clause will allow elderly parents who feel neglected by their children to take them to court.

• China has nearly 167 million people aged over 60, and one million above 80.

 

 

 

 

This same "news" is repeated in MANY Western sources - the one you quote is from Australia.

 

China National News and the other sites are administered by Midwest Radio Network from offices in Sydney, Australia.

 

I have yet to see an actual Chinese source from AFTER the Amendment was passed, but the Western sources all seem to be from the same feed.

 

The actual law is concerned with who is responsible for "support" of the elderly.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Fu Lai]

Moderators, feel free to delete whatever you deem wrong.

 

rw - sorry, guy - there doesn't seem to be any disagreement here

 

http://english.cntv....28/129631.shtml

Edited December 29, 2012 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

No mention is made, as near as I can tell, of required visits. That appears to be a Western embellishment

 

China amends law to boost care for elderly

 

 

he amended law says governments at all levels should incorporate work regarding the aging population into the overall economic and social development plan and ensure that funds are available.

 

In addition to urging family members to care for the elderly, the law stipulates that the government will ensure a basic living and basic medical care for the elderly through the pension mechanism and healthcare scheme.

 

The government shall provide basic living, healthcare, housing and other services to poverty-stricken elderly, and it will support those elderly who are disabled but have no supporters to rely on.

 

The amended law says local governments will roll out measures that encourage organizations or individuals to offer elderly-care services, while improving supervision over nursing homes for the aging population.

 

Moreover, government authorities should thoroughly consider the needs of the elderly in urban and rural development project plans, with an aim of creating a safe, convenient and comfortable environment for them, according to the law.

[tsap seui]

You get to be an expat too, Fu Lai. None of the rest of us is worried where you got your info from.

[Randy W]

The Western version of this law may have originated with the AP. As far as I can tell, there is no requirement in the law to "visit your parents" - only to provide support.

 

Google "China visit your parents" to see how many news sources picked up the AP version.

[tsap seui]

Fu Lai, please go ahead and continue posting here what you read. So they might not sue or force Chinese to visit their parents, okay. It's good that they do anything to encourage them to visit and care for their elders, and good of you to show us. I think I read somewhere that many Asian countries have laws or understandings that "encourage" it's citizens to take care of their parents. Your article was very refreshing to see that other countries encourage their citizens to care for their parents.

 

 

 

tsap seui

[david_dawei]

This is simply a similar issue to the other thread Randy posted.. about the media having to grow up in these modern times. Times are changing.

 

And it is compounded by the 30+ years of the one child policy. Children grow up and want something more than what their local village/town/city offers. Times are changing.

 

As china gets even more and more global, and the central government is very aggressive to have overseen the security of being the global production and manufacturer of so many goods.... people follow suit. They want global exposure to some degree. More internet. etc. Times are changing.

 

The interesting thing to me is simply: How will china (both the government and the people) respond over the coming years. IMO, they hold it together better than most countries as that has always been the model. And a large part of the model is not just social ethics but social stigmas... Having the right heart to care for your elderly parents can be as powerful as the guilt to do so. IMO, the country is more homogeneous in such things and will get through it.