The city of Harbin, capital city of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, will provide better service for elderly people in 2015,  Zhao Hongjun, head of the city’s civil affairs department, said in an interview during the city’s ongoing annual “Two Sessions”.

A total of 430 daytime nursing centers, as well as 224 care homes in rural area, which will offer 5,000 beds for elderly people, will be built in Harbin.

Zhao Hongjun, head of the city’s civil affairs department, in an interview during the city’s ongoing annual “Two Sessions”. [Photo/my399.com]

Nursing homes, whose capacities are mainly limited by bed numbers, play a key role in accommodating old people who live by themselves or cannot be properly cared for at home.

The goal of the nursing center beds is part of the 2015 plan for the civil affairs system that also includes overall quality boost in the city’s elder care services.

It will help foster the nursing industry with a group of measures, such as branding and promotion of good services and products, as well as building industrial cluster

The city will also provide subsidies and improve market supervision to ensure ensure the old people’s benefits.

In addition, Harbin will set up demonstration pilots on facilities in residential communities across the city.