As of 1st July, the Ministry of Civil Affairs (“MCA”) has implemented two
Measures to regulate the establishment and operation of senior care facilities,
as required under the amendment, adopted in December, 2012, of the Law on
the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (“Law”). The Law went
into effect in 1996 and had not been amended until the end of last year, despite
the ever-increasing awareness of issues facing the elderly as demographic and
cultural changes have been taking their toll. The amendment is perhaps best
known for urging family members to care for the elderly, but it also requires
governments at all levels to incorporate planning for the elderly into their
overall economic and social development plans and ensure that funds are
available to implement the plans; and mandates that the government ensure a
basic living and basic medical care for the elderly.