People enjoy themselves at a care center for the elderly in Huangjiayu Village of Lanshan District, Rizhao, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 27, 2022. Lanshan District of Rizhao City has set up care centers since 2021, providing assistance and care to the elderly people over 60 years old. (Photo: Xinhua)

 
China has established its first network for senior talent in an effort to promote employment, education and nursing care for elderly people as the country increases investment in old-age care.

The network, which was officially launched on Wednesday, has more than 40 columns, covering talent policy, investigation and research, recruitment information, voluntary public welfare, education for the elderly and other aspects.

The new platform has received enthusiastic support from society since its launch, Li Qiang, chief engineer of the Senior Talent Information Center of the China National Committee on Aging, told the Global Times on Thursday.

He said they have received more than 100 inquiry calls in the last day, most of which are from elderly people seeking job opportunities. 

Over 80 positions have been posted on the network, all of which are in Beijing, including directors of elderly care institutions, elderly care sales, medical social workers, nurses and elderly care customer service staff. 

Salaries range from 3,000 yuan ($438) to 30,000 yuan. For example, a McDonald's in Beijing is recruiting retired senior people as waiters. The monthly salary is 1,800 to 3,500 yuan for four or five days a week, and four to eight hours a day. 

"The largest group we serve are elderly people who are at a relatively young age and 'blue-collar' workers with relatively low income," said Li. 

He cited an example of some residential communities in Beijing that are now hiring security guards from senior people who live in the same community as they are more familiar with the local environment and residents there and they are more "stable" employees than those hired in the usual way. 

The network for the senior talent aims to broaden the channels of employment and set up a think-tank for the elderly to cope with an ageing population in China, Wang Jianjun, president of the China National Committee on Aging, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

China has ramped up investment in elderly care services in recent years. From 2012 to 2021, the central government allocated a total of 35.9 billion yuan to support the construction of elderly service facilities.  

By the end of the first quarter of 2022, there were 360,000 institutions and facilities for the elderly in the country, with 8.126 million beds. The number of beds has nearly doubled from 4.165 million at the end of 2012, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.