by Wang Kai

 

BEIJING, Mar 5 (China Economic Net) - In a quiet suburban home in Shanxi Province, 78-year-old Grandma Zhang begins her day with a voice-activated assistant reminding her of a virtual Tai Chi session and an upcoming video call with her grandson. Wearing a smartwatch that tracks her health and using a tablet loaded with senior-friendly apps, she effortlessly stays connected with her family and community. From remote health monitoring to virtual exercise classes, digital tools are transforming the lives of China’s elderly, offering smarter, more personalized care solutions.

 

By the end of 2024, the number of people aged 60 and above in China has reached 310 million, accounting for 22 percent of the country's total population. This figure is projected to surpass 400 million by 2035, representing over 30% of the population. Notably, nearly half of these seniors are internet users, creating a strong foundation for the adoption of intelligent care solutions. 

 

“Digital technologies are empowering and upgrading the elderly care sector,” said Ms. Xu Lianhong, a deputy to China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and director of an elderly care facility in northern China. She highlighted innovations like intelligent calling devices that automatically alert caregivers based on seniors’ physical conditions, significantly reducing emergency response times. 

 

At the forefront of this transformation are AI-driven data analysis systems that provide personalized healthcare solutions and care robots designed to assist with daily tasks. “Cleaning, mobility, and dining are areas where the elderly need the most support, and these are precisely where robots excel,” explained Mr. Zhang Yunquan, researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He added that 90% of China’s elderly prefer to age at home rather than in nursing homes, driving demand for home-based care robots.

 

 

The intelligent care robot industry in China is booming, with the market expected to exceed RMB 30 billion this year, growing at an annual rate of over 20%. By 2035, it is projected to surpass RMB 1 trillion. “With the rapid development of China’s robotics industry, applications in elderly care are expanding rapidly, with over half of the demand coming from families,” said Mr. Lu Weidong, President of Alton Industries, a Chicago-headquartered enterprise that has been tapping China’s elderly care sector for over a decade.

 

"China's share in the global humanoid robot industry chain is as high as 63%. In terms of algorithm, the focus is on speech recognition, natural language processing technologies for the elderly, and emotion recognition capabilities based on AI psychology, while ensuring ethical compliance and privacy security,” Mr. Zhang said.

 

China’s advancements are also shaping global elderly care standards. Recently, China led the development of the first international standard for elderly care robots, released by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This standard aims to guide manufacturers in designing robots that meet the physiological and psychological needs of seniors, improving product quality and enhancing seniors’ ability to integrate into society.

 

Whereas the average price still remains higher than what is needed for it to become easily affordable for ordinary families, Mr. Lu believes in three to five years, the prices of caring robots will decrease substantially. 

 

“Since 2017 when China carried out an action plan for the development of smart and healthy elderly care industry, smart elderly care has been gaining momentum,” shares Mr. Lu. He adds that for internationals who would like to set foot in China’s intelligent elderly care industry, they need to tailor their products to the physique of China’s elderly group and deliver intricate designs that can perform flexibly in smaller apartments or complex environments. 

 

“There is also a lot that can be done in collaboration with the medical and insurance players in reducing prices and expanding applicable scenarios,” he added.