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 The issue was the second-most popular topic on Chinese social media
on Friday, with many welcoming the relaxation of the rules.
Previously, those seeking certificates to qualify to care for the
elderly had to have attended at least junior high school.
Children traditionally look after ageing parents, but in a country
that only abolished its one-child policy in 2016, the burden is a
heavy one.
A son or a daughter may end up having to take care of as many as
four ageing people, including in-laws. Often, children have also
moved to distant cities for work, adding to the need for caregivers.
By the end of 2018, China had a population of 249 million people
aged 60 or older. About a quarter of that number have either
physiological or cognitive disabilities, requiring care, according
to the World Bank.
In contrast, a recent official estimate puts the number of certified
caregivers at 300,000.
China aims to increase that by 2 million before the end of 2022, the
Ministry of Civil Affairs said this week.
The education ministry also recently said that every province ought
to have one university offering majors in care for the elderly.
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"The main problem is supply," said a user of the Weibo social media
site.
"Caring for the old is not easy, and people won't do it if they are
not paid well."
Caregivers at nursing homes in big cities such as Beijing and
Shanghai can earn up to 5,000 yuan ($700) a month, but salaries are
often lower in smaller cities.
Informal caregivers, often migrant workers, get less for looking
after the elderly at home.
The number of old-age homes is rising but they are too expensive for
most families and largely perceived to be riddled with abuse.
Three-quarters of old people prefer to live out their days at home,
official surveys show.
(Reporting by Ryan Woo and Lusha Zhang; Editing by Karishma Singh)
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