China will enhance services for the elderly by strengthening the emergency response capabilities of nursing homes and boosting consumption of products seniors need and enjoy to improve their sense of security and well-being.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs has issued a contingency plan to help nursing homes respond to natural disasters, accidents, public health incidents and security emergencies.

Under the plan, emergencies are classified into four levels based on the number of casualties, with level one the highest. Nursing homes are required to report emergencies promptly to local civil affairs departments, which will activate the response mechanism based on the severity. For example, a level four emergency will be activated when a disaster or accident results in up to three deaths.

China had about 404,000 nursing facilities and homes with 8.23 million beds by the end of 2023, according to the ministry.

"China has seen an increasing number of nursing homes for the elderly in recent years," said Sun Wencan, deputy director of the ministry's elderly services department, at a news conference on Monday. "Most residents are older people with limited ability to live independently or rescue themselves. The contingency plan can help reduce confusion or mistakes during emergencies, lowering casualties and property damage."

Sun said the ministry will guide local authorities in establishing emergency rescue centers and support nursing homes in their efforts to upgrade facilities to improve their emergency response capabilities.

He also noted that seniors have growing and diversifying needs for elderly services and products, and added that the ministry will focus on safeguarding elderly consumers' rights to allow them to shop in a safer environment.

The ministry said it will launch a program, which will begin this month and run through December, with the Ministry of Commerce to promote the use of elderly services. Local authorities will organize exhibitions and trade fairs centered on products and services for seniors and provide financial incentives or subsidies to encourage them to buy new furniture or smart appliances. In addition, nursing homes will be encouraged to offer trial stays to the elderly.

While many seniors have purchasing power, Sun said fraudulent practices by companies or individuals have made some wary of spending for fear of being cheated. He said the ministry will use the program to focus on protecting seniors' consumer rights.

"We will guide local authorities to popularize consumer safety knowledge through lectures, public service ads, short videos and skits, and improve seniors' legal awareness by sharing case studies on scams," Sun said.

The ministry will also work with other departments to crack down on illegal practices that harm seniors' rights, such as deceptive medicine advertising and sales tactics related to cosmetic procedures.

"We will guide local authorities to publish complaint hotlines and streamline dispute resolution procedures to protect seniors' rights in a timely manner," Sun said. "We will also take measures to ensure nursing homes clearly post their prices and will tighten supervision over the elderly services market."

More than one-fourth of China's population is age 60 and above — about 297 million people as of the end of 2023, according to the ministry. Among them, about 217 million are age 65 and above.