New care centers in China take care of elderly and children together

[Anchor]

China is also seeing a decrease in the number of children due to low birth rates, leading to the closure of kindergartens and childcare facilities.

On the other hand, the number of elderly people is increasing, and a joint care model that looks after both the elderly and children is taking root.

Our correspondent Kim Min-jung reports from Zhejiang Province, China.

[Report]

Children sing a birthday song to the elderly celebrating their birthday.

They also share birthday cake and fruits together.

[Wei Yinuo/6 years old: "I'm happy to celebrate grandpa and grandma's birthday!"]

This care center, operated by the local government, is a place where the elderly and children live together.

Grandparents who bring their grandchildren also stay together instead of going home.

Elderly people mainly stay on the first floor, while children are on the third floor, but there are spaces where they can interact together.

[Zhu Sichi/Care facility official: "Intergenerational activities between the elderly and children allow kids to learn the concept of 'filial piety.' They learn to think that they should respect the elderly."]

This joint care initiative has rapidly spread recently, increasing to over 360,000 locations across China, including places run by private companies.

There are also care centers where elderly people participate in their grandchildren's kindergarten classes.

As they engage in activities and sing together, they can naturally overcome generational gaps.

[Li Yongjie/Grandfather participating in kindergarten class: "As times change, what is desired also changes. What children need to learn as they grow has changed. In the process of growth, both the elderly and children learn together."]

According to estimates from a national research institute in China, the total birth rate dropped to 1.0 last year.

Around 15,000 kindergartens closed in the past year due to a lack of students, and now there are growing numbers of kindergartens on the verge of closure accepting elderly people to transform into joint care centers.

This is Kim Min-jung from KBS News in Zhoushan.