养老机构等级划分体系 (yǎnglǎo jīgòu děngjí huàfēn tǐxì): National rating system for nursing homes

China has released its first national rating system for nursing homes for the aged, which will come into effect on July 1.

According to the standards, there will be five grades of nursing homes for the aged, depending on the services and facilities they provide. The higher the grade the better the services and facilities and environment of the nursing institutions for the aged.

The national standards are like the five-star rating system used by the hotel industry, and they aim to better safeguard the rights and interests of the elderly.

With the aging of the population, the demand for nursing services for the elderly is growing rapidly. Nursing homes are an important way to care for the elderly.

According to media reports, by the end of 2018 there were 29,800 registered nursing institutions for the aged and 3.93 million beds in these nursing institutions. But the market is chaotic, and often there is a lack of information to assess the facilities and services provided by nursing homes.

All the nursing homes for the aged can voluntarily apply for a rating.