China has set up a body to address the issues relating to
end-of-life care for one of the world's largest number of elderly
people.?
The Chinese Association for Life Care (CALC)?will act as a
nationwide regulator in the end-of-life care field, said Li Jiaxi,
director of the association, at the launch ceremony at the Great
Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday.
Composed of medical and legal workers, volunteers and supported
by Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ministry of Health, the body will
engage in the development of end-of-life, palliative and health
care for the elderly and gerontology research , Li said.
The aim of the association was to regulate services across the
nation, organizing academic communication and domestic and
international exchanges to improve the quality of caring of the
elderly in China. He explained.
"Life care" meant the provision of services for elderly people,
especially those with terminable illnesses and to permit them to
die with dignity.
Currently China has three forms of life-care services: a small
number of end-of-life care hospitals, around 200 end-of-life wards
in medical institutions and there are hospices.
The number of Chinese over the age of 60 in China is 143
million. This accounts for 11 percent of the population.
(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2006)
