Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

A visit to a traditional Chinese Hospital was the highlight of the day. There were so many extraordinary and eye-opening experiences that picking just a few to share is challenging!

Generally, the enormity of it was overwhelming. From the capacity (650 beds), to staff (1200), to total patients seen per day (5000), to the pharmacy (delivering 4 tons of medicine per day), what becomes obvious is the scope of health care in China now, and what those amazing statistics we learned previously portends for the future.

Our lecture outlined the five aspects that constitute TCM: nutrition, lifestyle, emotion, exercise, and mental fitness. The details revealed that many of our tenets of preventative health are similar to these aspects. The details also revealed that we can be very different in how we practice these aspects/tenets. As an example, our presenter recommends chewing black beans (don't go out and try this as I'm leaving out a few details). He called this Tai Chi for the tongue!

It will be interesting to watch the interplay and integration of Eastern and Western medicine in China as the country continues its social and economic reforms.

Plane ride tomorrow!

Jingshan Park, Senior University, & Beijing 5th Senior Compound

Today we had an opportunity to explore several relevant issues for older adults: preventative health, residential housing, and civic engagement. Through presentations and visits to three aging centers, we witnessed firsthand China's attempts to implement practical programs that are the result of the social policies we learned about in previous days.

Particularly interesting was the absolute priority given to physical fitness, not just by older adults, but by the entire population. An early morning (6:30 AM) visit to a park captured the extent to which exercise is a daily habit in the lives of the Chinese. This dedication to physical fitness extends into a commitment to mental fitness for older adults as evidenced through a visit to a Senior University. With more than 26,500 such schools, it seems that China is making strides in this area.

One commonality between the nations was evident during the tour of the residential facility. Shared rooms, public recreation areas, a planned activity calendar, and a lack of transportation for residents all were familiar.

It was clear today that China and the US share many of the same problems and challenges.

China's National Committee on Aging

We met with senior government officials today, including Mr. Lei Bengong, President of the CNCA. The CNCA helps to guide aging activities throughout the country. There are many common problems and challenges that China and the US share. Based on some of the statistics presented, and the general tone of our Chinese hosts, it is apparent that that the future conditions of China will be more difficult than those in the US, based on the sheer numbers of the elderly. For example, by 2050, there will be 400 million people age 60+ in China. That is 31% of their entire population. To put this into perspective, 400 million people is more than the entire population of the US right now. In China, in 40 years, one of every three people will be age 60+; one in every four elders will be 80+.

Another point of interest is in the frank and open discussion by our Chinese hosts concerning the breakdown of the traditional values related to respect and reverence for the elderly. This change has taken place over a relatively short period of time as China has changed its economic course as it attempts to become a superpower. Young people are leaving rural areas, and their parents, to seek opportunity in China's major cities. It is not clear how China will address this issue or even if they wish to if it were to interfere with economic growth.

Also evident is China's attempt to balance resources to aid the elderly with their challenges, but to do so in a way that is fiscally responsible and that does not hinder the growth pattern that China has charted for itself.

Tomorrow: visits to aging centers!

Today: Cultural Experiences Abound

Today we had an opportunity to become immersed in the Chinese history and culture. Our visit to the Great Wall took us from the urban Beijing into the rural countryside. We saw horses pulling carts, farmers working cooperatively in gardens, and elders being pushed through the streets in wheelchairs. We saw artists at work today, in areas that were quite tiny and that certainly would never pass OSHA standards! We heard about Sunny's (our coordinator's) family, and how the generations interact and get along--or don't--and the differences between those generations in terms of the modern changes that are occuring within the country.

Generations. It is impossible to imagine how the Great Wall was built or the fortitude and determination of those who built it. The immensity of it provides a scope for understanding the pride the Chinese have in their heritage and ancestors.Tomorrow we are received by the President of the National Committee on Aging and have a presentation on the government's policies and dilemmas related to aging. The juxtaposition of the Great Wall today and a look to the future tomorrow should provide quite a perspective.

Overview of China's Public Healthcare for the Elderly

Breakfast. Bus ride. Presentation. Tour. Lunch. Bus ride. Museum tour. Bus ride...now a break, soon another bus ride, and then the Peking Duck Banquet...there's sure a lot of eating!

Today, Dr. Chen Jianpeng, a research fellow at the Information Center of Chinese Ministry of Health, gave us an overview of health care in China. There are currently 149 million people age 60+ in China; that will increase by 20 million in 5 years. A challenge that he mentioned concerns the health conditions that come with an aging population. Another is the changing culture. More and more elders are living apart from their families, due to the younger generation leaving the rural areas. However, in China, they believe that it is the government's responsibility to oversee the public health of the elderly. To this end, they have developed a new framework that covers people in both urban and rural areas, and is too complex for this blog!

Perhaps one of the most interesting things that he shared today (and he shared quite a bit!) was that men tend to use health care services more frequently than women. The second was that the older you are (he used both 80 and 100 as age markers), the more health care services you are likely to receive (due to cultural norms). He even went so far as to say that government officials who do not treat their elderly family members well are not promoted...

Please note that our lecture took place in private facilities provided by the Landgent Group, a private company in real estate development, international and vocational education, and senior services--and they did link these together into a comprehensive strategy for us when they gave their part of the presentation today. The photo was taken in the wine cellar, which holds the collection of one man...more than 200,000 bottles of wine (you read that right), mostly from France. And yes, they did serve some at lunch. And no, I didn't have any (although Dad did!)

A Few Fun Facts For You

OK, it's 3:30 am and Dad's watching ESPN, and I thought of a few more things, now that I am somewhat not exhausted!
1. When you enter your hotel room, there's a slot that you have to put your room key into to turn on the lights. Dad and I spent 15 minutes trying to figure that one out. Then we broke down and asked!
2. There are 13 million (official count) to 18 million people (unofficial--includes students, foreigners, etc), 3 million cars, and 8 million bikes in Beijing.
3. It is unwise to drink the water, but a bottle of Nestle water costs about 40 cents.
4. I have seen lots and lots of young people, and not so many older adults--yet.

We're Here! May 25, 9:35 pm

We made it...and no, we didn't get two middles. We arrived at the SF airport at 10:30 AM on May 24. We were 9th in line for the Air China ticket counter. They were supposed to open at 11...no, 11:30...no, they finally opened at noonish. We ended up with an aisle and a middle in a 3-4-3 configuration. The flight left 30 minutes late. Neither Dad or I slept at all...we arrived at 5:45 PM on May 25. We met a few other people on the tour, met Sunny, our tour guide, at the gate, collected our luggage, cleared Customs, took an hour bus ride to the hotel! Phew! But Dad is endless in his quest for adventure, so we went out and walked a bit in the big city and had some dinner (Spring Pigeon soup--complete with a full leg in the broth!) and stir-fried vegetables. Now, here's the really interesting thing--I told Dad that I was going to Blog before bed, AND! the blog instructions are in Chinese! I had to remember by position and symbols how to get in, sign in, and create a new post, or we'd be quite empty on the information highway!

Arrival in San Francisco

The alarm went off at 4:30 AM as scheduled. I said my goodbyes to Jeb, and we drove to the airport in the rain, where I said my goodbyes to Hubby! The flight was uneventful, although as we were landing, all I could think about was that the length of that flight was only 25% of what we have to do to get to Beijing! After a little confusion about where to pick up the shuttle to the hotel, I walked into the lobby to see Dad waiting for me. (Yes, this is a father-daughter experience, although Dad is both blog & camera shy). We went to eat lunch (Mexican!), walked on the waterfront trail, caught up with one another and checked in on vaious members of the family. We still don't have seats for the 12 hour flight tomorrow, which is making both of us quite nervous (what if we get two middles?)

Preparing for Departure

Sounds a bit like a Disney ride, doesn't it..."please keep your hands and feet inside the ride. We are now preparing for departure from the gate..." Only, wow! How much better is this? The alarm is set for 4:30 AM, everything's packed except for my toothbrush, I have "away" messages on my phone and email, and peanut butter is stashed away securely in my luggage. I can't wait to learn more about older adults...and myself. Here goes!

It Can't Be Just Two Weeks Away!

Anticipation is a great thing. This is NOT it.

The future is now only two weeks away. Small details keep coming up, demanding attention...things like the need to break in a new pair of shoes, or finding out if peanut butter is allowed (travel snacks are a necessity!), or discovering the difference between an adapter and a converter (both are required, apparently). Then there's the big things, like making sure that my husband has a copy of my passport and knows when to pick me up at the airport! Am I missing something? Who knows? Do you? If you have any suggestions for this soon-to-be traveler, please post them!