A mobile bathing van is on display at WCIFIT. (Photo/Chongqing Sunshine Eldercare Service)
Chongqing - China's rising demand for high-quality, respectful eldercare is opening new doors for businesses.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's population aged 60 and above reached 310.31 million by the end of 2024. A report on China's aging industry projects that the consumption market for people over 60 will grow to about 106 trillion yuan ($14.76 trillion) by 2050.
Innovative eldercare products on the rise
Initially focused on office and educational furniture, Wasia Furniture began developing age-friendly products in 2015 in response to increasing market needs.
In 2018, it established Chunxuanju Shilao Chongqing Health Technology Co., Ltd, specializing in smart eldercare, senior-friendly furniture, home modifications, and eldercare consulting.
"To improve seniors' quality of life, we must translate their real, everyday needs into products that make daily living easier. That's the core issue—no matter how high-tech a product is, if it can't meet those daily needs, it's useless," said Wang Song, Marketing Director at Chunxuanju, on the sidelines of the 7th WCIFIT in Chongqing, held from May 22 to 25.
Long Quanming, founder of Chongqing Sunshine Eldercare Service, which focuses on senior bathing, also targets the essential needs of the elderly. He was inspired by his father's strong desire to bathe after a fall left him with limited mobility.
After studying similar projects abroad, Long—originally a bathtub manufacturer—redesigned his tubs with walk-in doors, grab bars, and other senior-friendly features. Realizing that some homes couldn't even accommodate wheelchairs, he mounted the equipment on a van, creating a mobile bathing unit.
Senior bathing is a basic need, but challenging to manage alone, especially when children aren't around. Long told Bridging News at WCIFIT that emotional and cultural needs are just as vital.
With seniors making up 25.11% of its population, Chongqing had 8.01 million residents aged 60 and over by the end of last year, making it one of China's fastest-aging cities.
At a press conference on May 23, Xu Songqiang, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, said the city has established 597 fixed senior bathing stations and launched 10 mobile bathing vans through a mix of government funding, charitable donations, and market services.
He added that Chongqing is also exploring expanded senior cleaning services through 24-hour hotlines, WeChat accounts, and mobile apps.
Long plans to expand eldercare services into rural areas. He noted that urban facilities—such as nursing homes, community centers, and service stations—are already well developed, but many seniors in the countryside still face significant challenges.
"That's why we're using our mobile bathing vans to reach those in need in rural regions," he said. He also emphasized the importance of addressing mental well-being, adding that his team plans to connect rural seniors with professionals online for support and guidance.
A staff member demonstrates facial, emotional, and voice recognition technologies at Mashang Consumer Finance Co Ltd's booth during WCIFIT. (Photo/Tan Xinyu)
Enhancing senior care with technology
Against the backdrop of rapid technological advancement, both Chunxuanju and Sunshine Eldercare are moving to incorporate tech into their services, aiming to boost quality and efficiency.
Chunxuanju studies seniors' daily habits to identify challenges and tailor its products accordingly. It also seeks to enhance its offerings with smart features. "Many in our parents' generation are comfortable using app-connected devices, making this a key area for future growth," Wang noted.
The company currently focuses on urban seniors, who typically have pensions and a stable financial base, as the products come at a certain cost. However, with the advancement of national eldercare policies and related efforts, Wang believed these products will gradually extend into rural areas, eventually expanding the overall market.
Sunshine Eldercare is also advancing digital care by partnering with specialized firms to develop smart bathing and AI-assisted medical support. Health data collected before each session helps build personal records and standardize routines. The AI system enables remote medical consultations, with mobility vehicles available for hospital visits when needed.
The city of Chongqing is promoting AI, VR, and wearable tech in eldercare to enhance health services, senior monitoring, emotional support, and home-based care, accelerating digital innovation in aging services.
Earlier this year, Mashang Consumer Finance, the Mashang Technology Development Foundation, and the First Social Welfare Home of Chongqing launched an AI-powered emotional companion robot for eldercare.
Equipped with facial, emotion, and voice recognition technologies, the robot can sense seniors' psychological states and personality traits and offer conversation and emotional support.
Gao Yan, Technology Director at Mashang Consumer Finance, said at the WCIFIT that the company aims for its robots to serve around one million seniors within three years and 10 million within five. The goal is to integrate various types and sizes of robots into nursing homes, eldercare communities, and private households.
A visitor tries out a Chunxuanju senior-friendly product at WCIFIT. (Photo/Chunxuanju Shilao Chongqing Health Technology)
Eldercare struggles and challenges ahead
Amid declining birth rates and an aging population, eldercare is poised to become one of the most pressing societal challenges China will face over the coming decades. The issue spans both market and government domains, demanding solutions from grassroots implementation to top-level policy design.
Chongqing is expanding its eldercare workforce by launching professional evaluations for eldercare workers and exploring pilot programs for publicly funded eldercare education at vocational colleges. Xu said at the press conference that the first batch of 100 smart eldercare undergraduates will soon be enrolled.
However, the eldercare sector remains unattractive to many young people due to the nature of the work, limited career advancement, and relatively low wages. According to the 2024 Report on the Employment Status of Elderly Care Workers released under the leadership of the China Aging Development Foundation, approximately 88% of elderly care workers are over 40, while those under 30 account for less than 3%. The report also notes a strong gender imbalance: nearly 89.76% of care workers are women.
The report summarizes the profession’s widespread characteristics as “three highs and three lows”: low levels of education, low compensation, low occupational recognition, coupled with high average age, high work intensity, and high staff turnover.
Furthermore, the eldercare industry is hindered by its inherent structural challenges—high upfront investment and long payback periods. These factors have deterred many investors, making financing a significant bottleneck to the sector’s development.
The Executive President of Chunxuanju, Zhou Xin, expressed hope for government support in research and development. "R&D is costly, and bringing a product to market requires a long cycle of repeated testing and validation. It's not like you invest one month and see returns the next," he said.
Long stressed that the government should step up promotion of eldercare policies and facilities to reach more seniors in need while also providing greater financial support to related eldercare institutions.
(Dai Xuelin, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)