Meaningful Ageing: Shaping a Better Future for China’s Elderly

Event Background

The challenges presented by the ageing of China’s population are vast and complex. Not only does ageing have major impacts on labor supply, savings, economic growth and social and family relationships, ageing also necessitates re-imagining social systems—such as healthcare, eldercare, pension and housing—in order to sustainably support the elderly population in ageing well and living a meaningful life in China. The government has made confronting these challenges a national policy priority, as seen in the 14^th Five-Year Plan. The prominence of ageing in this national policy planning blueprint and the issue’s inclusion in subsequent talks by senior policymakers signify its importance for ensuring sustainable economic and social development into the future.

This event, hosted by the Harvard China Health Partnership and Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, assembled an interdisciplinary group of experts to share their ideas, research and practical experience to help China develop a health and eldercare system to meet the needs of its ageing population.

Speakers and Agenda

Session 1 (click to expand)

June 21, 2021 @ 8:30pm EDT | Meaningful Living and Dying in a Chinese Context

Monday, June 21, 8:30 – 10:30pm EDT
北京时间6月22日（周二）上午8点半至10点半

Session Moderator
James Robson, James C. Kralik and Yunli Lou Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations; William Fung Director of the Asia Center, Harvard University

8:30 – 8:40pm: Session Opening Remarks + Participant Introductions
Winnie Yip, Professor of Global Health Policy and Economics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Acting Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University

8:40 – 9:00pm: Keynote Presentation 1.1
Arthur Kleinman, Esther and Sidney Rabb Professor of Anthropology; Professor of Medical Anthropology and Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Topic: What is at stake for Chinese elderly in experiencing a life of meaning and value, and what does this tell us about what constitutes meaningful ageing in China today?

9:00 – 9:20pm: Keynote Presentation 1.2
Jing-Bao Nie, Professor, University of Otago Bioethics Centre
Topic: How are ageing and eldercare in China influenced by Confucian socio-ethical perspectives?

9:20 – 10:00pm: Moderated Discussion with Roundtable Participants

Dongsheng Chen, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Taikang Insurance Group
William Hsiao, K.T. Li Professor of Economics, Emeritus, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Jun Jing, Professor of Social Anthropology, Tsinghua University School of Social Sciences
Cancan Liao, Associate Professor, Wuhan University School of Philosophy
Karen Thornber, Harry Tuchman Levin Professor in Literature and Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Yunxiang Yan, Professor of Anthropology, UCLA College of Social Sciences

10:00 – 10:20pm: Audience Q&A

10:20 – 10:30pm: Session Summary
Winnie Yip, Professor of Global Health Policy and Economics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Acting Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University

Session 2 (click to expand)

June 22, 2021 @ 8:30am EDT | Innovative Eldercare Models

Tuesday, June 22, 8:30 – 10:30am EDT
北京时间6月22日（周二）晚上8点半至10点半

Session Moderator
Winnie Yip, Professor of Global Health Policy and Economics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Acting Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University

8:30 – 8:35am: Session Opening Remarks + Participant Introductions
Winnie Yip, Professor of Global Health Policy and Economics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Acting Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University

8:35 – 8:50am: Keynote Presentation 2.1
Peter Alders, Program Manager, Ageing-in-Place, Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport
Topic: What innovations in eldercare models are currently taking place in the Netherlands, and what policy support has the government provided to encourage development in this sector?

8:50 – 9:05am: Keynote Presentation 2.2
Eloy van Hal, Co-founder of The Hogeweyk (World’s First Dementia Village)
Topic: What is the defining philosophy behind The Hogeweyk, what strategies have been employed to improve quality of life for residents, and what were the biggest obstacles to building this community?

9:05 – 9:20am: Keynote Presentation 2.3
Steve McAlilly, Co-founder of the Green House Project, President and CEO of Methodist Senior Services
Topic: What are the key features of how Green House Project homes are designed, how do these homes foster a sense of community, and what sets the Green House Project’s approach apart from other models?

9:20 – 9:35am: Keynote Presentation 2.4
Alice Bonner, Director of Strategic Partnerships, CAPABLE, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

9:35 – 10:15am: Moderated Discussion with Roundtable Participants

Zhanlian Feng, Senior Researcher, RTI International
Ann Forsyth, Ruth and Frank Stanton Professor of Urban Planning, Harvard Graduate School of Design
William Hsiao, K.T. Li Professor of Economics, Emeritus, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Naoki Ikegami, Professor Emeritus, Keio University School of University
Huali Wang, Professor, Peking University Institute of Mental Health
Patrick Whitney, Professor in Residence, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

10:15 – 10:25am: Audience Q&A

10:25 – 10:30am: Session Summary
Winnie Yip, Professor of Global Health Policy and Economics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Acting Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University

Resources

Event recordings:
- Session 1: Meaningful Living and Dying in a Chinese Context
- Session 2: Innovative Eldercare Models
Presentation slide decks:
- Classical Confucianism on Meaningful Ageing and Social Eldercare
  (Jing-Bao Nie, Session 1)
- CAPABLE: Promoting Independence and Time in Community
  (Alice Bonner, Session 2)
- Ageing-in-Place in the Netherlands
  (Peter Alders, Session 2)
Other related events:
- Information on our event “Labor Participation, Retirement, Pension and Long-term Care Insurance” is available here.