There is an increasing demand for eldercare in China and the Danish tradition of retirement homes are in high demand.
An agreement of managing a retirement home with a Chinese woman who manages eight retirement homes in Chongqing in western China has been signed.
During this week a Chinese delegation will be visiting Denmark to sign another contract of the establishment of retirement home in Shanghai, which means some 400 homes can be ready at the end of 2014, according to Danish media Kristeligt Folkeblad.
Emil Tang, who is the CEO of Danske Diakonhjem, which owns 35 retirement homes with almost 1600 residents in Denmark, explains that it is not about preaching Danish elderly care.
”We are not going to China to preach, but we want to meet people with some of the same values as us, so we can help export a Christian view of humanity,” he explains.
Danske Diakonhjem’s expenses will go to travels and hiring Danes in China. Soon they will send two employees to China to explain how retirement homes are managed in Denmark.
Director Bente Strager from the Health School in Silkeborg says that the school will co-operate With Danish Diakonhjem in educating Chinese staff.
”The foster home sector in China is characterized by being almost non-existent from being part of the political agenda stating that retirement homes are to be found everywhere. Many of the employees are unskilled. We are going to educate them in China using interpreters,” she explains.
Emil Tang explains that the Chinese are now seeing the consequences of the one child policy as they do not have the time and money to both work and take care of elderly family members. That is why there is a growing demand for retirement homes.
Read original article at jyllands-posten.dk
