Policy Interpretation

Jun302026

Just now! Shanghai’s four departments issued a new policy on elderly medical accompaniment, to be implemented from July 1!

Notice of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau and other four departments on printing and distributing the ‘Plan on Comprehensively Promoting Elderly Medical Escort Services’ Each district’s Civil Affairs Bureau, Health Commission, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and Consumer Protection Committee: To address the urgent needs of the elderly in medical accompaniment and other aspects, and to actively respond to population aging, the Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau and other departments have formulatedthe ‘Plan on Comprehensively Promoting Elderly Medical Escort Services’, which is now printed and distributed to you, please follow and implement. Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau Shanghai Municipal Health Commission Shanghai…

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Jun302026

Quick look! Shanghai releases the ’15th Five-Year’ plan for service industry development and implementation opinions on expanding capacity and improving quality, with multiple mentions of elderly care.

Recently,the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government successively releasedthe notice on the Implementation Opinions on Promoting Capacity Expansion and Quality Improvement of the Service Industry and the Shanghai Service Industry Development “15th Five-Year” Plan, which mentions elderly care and the silver economy in multiple places. The Implementation Opinions propose thatby 2030,the high-quality development of the service industry has achieved significant results, with the added value of the service industry reachingabout 6 trillion yuan, and the total import and export of servicesexceeding 300 billion US dollars.The Planspecifies that by2030, the level of digitalization, standardization, integration, and…

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Jun302026

Big news! 12 departments deploy “Joyful Silver Age” series of activities, focusing on enriching the spiritual and cultural life of the elderly.

Big news! 12 departments deploy “Joyful Silver Age“ series of activities, focusing on enriching the spiritual and cultural life of the elderly. To actively address population aging, enrich the spiritual and cultural activities of the elderly, and improve their physical and mental health, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, together with 12 departments including the Central Propaganda Department and the Cyberspace Administration of China, recently issuedthe ‘Notice on Carrying Out ‘Enjoy Silver Age’ Series Activities to Enrich the Spiritual and Cultural Life of the Elderly'(hereinafter referred to as the ‘Notice’),Starting from the first half of 2026, with the theme ‘Joyful Body and Mind, Show Elegance, Promote Health’, the ‘Enjoy Silver Age’ series of activities will be organized and carried out annually…

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Jun302026

Latest! Nutritional health services in elderly care institutions now have official technical guidelines! (Attached work process example and meal satisfaction survey)

Recently, the National Health Commission issuedthe ‘Technical Guide for Nutrition Instructor Services (Trial)'(hereinafter referred to as the ‘Guide’).For the first time,it treats ‘elderly care service institutions’ as aindependent, specialized application scenariofor regulation, alongside communities, schools, etc.,clarifying what nutrition instructors should specifically ‘do’ and ‘how to do it’ in elderly care institutions. The ‘Guide’ breaks down the nutritional health services of elderly care institutions from a general concept into five specific, actionable work categories, and requires nutrition instructors to: Produce nutrition science popularization materials (printed materials, audio-visual materials, promotional courseware, etc.), regularly carry out nutrition and health knowledge promotion activities…

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Jun302026

Quick look! “Shanghai Silver Economy Development Report (2025)” released: One report to understand the new track of elderly care.

Quick look! “Shanghai Silver Economy Development Report (2025)“ released: One report to understand the new track of elderly care.   Developing the silver economy is an important measure to actively respond to population aging, improve the well-being of the elderly, and cultivate new engines of economic growth. In 2025, Shanghai, based on the reality of ‘big city elderly care’, actively promotes the coordinated development of aging-related undertakings and industries. To systematically summarize industrial development practices and accurately judge industry development trends, the Office of the Municipal Special Class for Promoting Silver Economy Development has compiled the ‘Shanghai Silver Economy Development Report (2025)’, comprehensively reviewing and analyzing the current status, highlights, and trends of industrial development in 2025, providing systematic action…

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Jun302026

Breaking! Two departments jointly issued the ‘Interim Provisions on the Professional Qualification System for Elderly Care Service Workers’: No longer implement junior and intermediate professional title evaluation for elderly care service-related specialties.

各省、自治区、直辖市民政厅（局）、人力资源社会保障厅（局），新疆生产建设兵团民政局、人力资源社会保障局，中共海南省委人才发展局： 为深入实施积极应对人口老龄化国家战略，加强养老服务专业技术人员队伍建设，经国务院同意，设置养老服务师职业资格。根据国家职业资格制度相关规定，民政部、人力资源社会保障部制定了《养老服务师职业资格制度暂行规定》，现印发给你们，请遵照执行。 民政部 人力资源社会保障部 2026年6月4日 养老服务师职业资格制度暂行规定 第一章 总则 第一条 为加强养老服务专业技术人员队伍建设，客观、公正、科学评价养老服务专业技术人员，根据深化养老服务改革发展要求和国家职业资格制度，制定本规定。 第二条 本规定适用于在居家、社区、机构等养老服务场景中，从事养老服务工作的专业技术人员。 第三条 国家设置养老服务师水平评价类职业资格，纳入《国家职业资格目录》，面向社会提供养老服务师能力水平评价服务。 第四条 养老服务师职业资格（Qualification for Elderly CareService Professional）设置初级养老服务师（Junior Elderly CareService Professional）、中级养老服务师（Intermediate Elderly CareService Professional)、高级养老服务师(Senior Elderly CareService Professional）三个级别。取得各级别养老服务师职业资格证书，表明具备相应专业技术岗位工作的职业水平和能力。 第五条 民政部和人力资源社会保障部共同负责养老服务师职业资格制度的政策制定，按照职责分工对职业资格制度的实施进行指导、监督和检查。 各省、自治区、直辖市民政部门和人力资源社会保障部门，按照职责分工负责本行政区域内养老服务师职业资格制度的实施与监管。 第二章 考试 第六条 初级、中级养老服务师职业资格实行全国统一大纲、统一命题、统一组织的考试制度。高级养老服务师职业资格有关规定另行制定。 凡遵守中华人民共和国宪法和法律，具有良好的道德品行，并符合考试报名条件的人员，均可报名参加相应级别的养老服务师考试。 第七条 民政部负责拟定考试科目、考试大纲、考试试题、考试合格标准，探索建立考试试题库，研究提出考试专业设置、免予考试和国际互认等政策。 第八条 人力资源社会保障部负责审定考试科目、考试大纲、考试试题和考试合格标准，对考试工作进行指导、监督、检查。 第九条 凡从事养老服务工作，具备国家教育部门认可的普通高中、中职学校（含技工学校）以上学历，均可以报名参加初级养老服务师职业资格考试。 报名时已基本完成学业、尚未取得学历学位证书的毕业年度普通高等学校学生，可以凭借所在院校出具的应届毕业证明作为符合相应学历条件，报名参加当年度养老服务师职业资格考试。 第十条 具备下列条件之一者，可以报名参加中级养老服务师职业资格考试： （一）具备普通高中、中职学校（含技工学校）学历，取得初级养老服务师职业资格后从事养老服务工作满8年； （二）具备养老服务相关专业大学专科学历，从事养老服务工作满5年 (3) Hold a bachelor’s degree or bachelor’s degree in a major related to elderly care services,have been engaged in elderly care services for at least 3 years; (4) Hold a master’s degree or higher in a major related to…

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Jun222026

Latest! Eight departments jointly issue document to support railway + elderly health care!

Notice of the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. and Other 8 Units on Issuing Several Measures to Promote the Integration of Railway and Tourism Development and Expand Service Consumption Shang Fu Mao Han [2026] No. 118 In order to thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on the development of the service industry, implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on accelerating the construction of a transportation power, a tourism power, and developing service consumption, further expand new supply of railway tourism, innovate diversified consumption scenarios, and promote the…

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Jun222026

Latest! These 40 regions are proposed to be selected for the 2026 County-level Elderly Care Service Improvement Plan Project!

Announcement on the Proposed List of Regions for the 2026 County Elderly Care Service Improvement Plan Project In accordance with the requirements of the ‘Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the General Office of the Ministry of Finance on the Central Special Lottery Public Welfare Fund to Support the County Elderly Care Service Improvement Plan Project’ (Min Ban Han [2026] No. 33), after local applications, recommendations from relevant provincial departments, and expert evaluation, 40 regions including Dongcheng District, Beijing are proposed as the project regions for the 2026 County Elderly Care Service Improvement Plan. In…

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Jun222026

Shanghai’s Basic Elderly Care Service List (2026 Edition) Released, 8 Categories and 24 Items Benefit All Senior Citizens in the City

Basic elderly care services refer to the fundamental, inclusive, and safety-net services directly provided by the state or supported through certain means to relevant entities for the elderly, aiming to ensure that the elderly are cared for and supported. Recently, the Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, together with relevant departments, formulated the ‘Shanghai Basic Elderly Care Services List’ (2026 Edition), which is divided into 8 major categories and 24 items. Shanghai Basic Elderly Care Services List (2026 Edition) What are the contents? Learn more! Click here’Read the original text’, to view the ‘Shanghai Basic Elderly Care Services List (2026…

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May142026

Breaking! The state releases pricing standards for home medical services: starting from 35 yuan! Services include home palliative care, nursing, rehabilitation training, etc.

According to statistics, the home service fees of primary medical institutions across the country are concentrated at 35-80 yuan per visit per person, while those of county-level and above medical institutions are concentrated at 100-200 yuan per visit per person. According to statistics, China’s population aged 65 and above accounts for about 15.9% of the total population, entering a moderate aging stage. Some elderly people live with illnesses or even multiple comorbidities, have difficulty moving independently, and face challenges in going to hospitals for medical treatment. Patients and their families have an increasingly urgent need for home-based and home visit medical services. In the comprehensive diagnostic and examination project guidelines, the National Healthcare Security Administrationunifiedly added a new price item…

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