In January, North China's Shanxi province incorporated the "elderly economy" into its government work report, emphasizing the expansion of health and elderly care services and marking Shanxi's proactive embrace of the aging population trend.

In five of Shanxi's 11 cities – Xinzhou, Yangquan, Datong, Jincheng, and Yuncheng – the population aged 65 and above exceeds 13 percent, indicating that the province has become a moderately aging society. The elderly economy, including elderly tourism, assistive devices, and home adaptations, is poised to reach a significant market scale.

People sing cheerfully in an elderly care institution in Taiyuan. [Photo/Shanxi Economic Daily]

On March 2, Shanxi launched its first special tourism train for elderly tourists. The train, carrying 636 passengers with an average age of nearly 70, embarked on a 13-day journey to famous destinations such as Jingdezhen. This initiative is a concrete step towards developing the elderly economy, fulfilling the elderly's desire for exploration, and enhancing their quality of life.

Shanxi is also providing policy benefits and optimizing the development environment for the elderly economy. To address consumer rights violations, the province's market regulatory authorities are enhancing consumer education and protection efforts to safeguard consumption rights.

Shanxi is also strengthening the supply of care services at the government level. Since 2023, the province has provided fitness equipment worth approximately 2 million yuan ($276,400) annually to 20 elderly care institutions. To date, 40 institutions across the province have been equipped with fitness facilities.