China's Old-Young Shift: Kindergartens Turn to Senior Care

China is facing a unique challenge with its aging population and decreasing birth rates. To tackle this, many kindergartens are transforming into senior care homes. In the eastern province of Zhejiang, a preschool in Jinhua city switched from catering to tiny tots to caring for the elderly. Zhuang Yanfang, 56, made this change after struggling to fill her kindergarten classrooms. The building underwent a makeover, with colorful walls repainted white and chalkboards replaced with health and nutrition information for seniors. China's "one-child policy, " implemented in 1980, led to a significant drop in birth rates. Even after the policy was eased in 2016, the birth rate continued to fall. Between 2021 and 2023, the number of children in preschool plummeted by almost 15%, resulting in a reduction of 20, 000 preschools across the country. Meanwhile, the senior care industry is booming. The number of elderly care facilities doubled from 2019 to over 410, 000 this month. The Chinese government is focusing on the "silver economy, " aiming to provide goods and services for people over 50. By 2040, seniors over 65 years old could make up 30% of the population, while those under 15 fall to just over 10%, creating a significant market for senior-oriented products and services.