12月7日，在“北京市完善养老服务体系系列政策”专场发布会上，北京市委新闻发言人郭汉桥表示，旅居养老方面，依托京津冀养老服务协同机制和京琼养老服务合作机制，发展质优价廉的异地康养社区和旅居养老，推动建立北京老年人“冬南夏北”候鸟式养老服务工作机制，鼓励支持北京老年人冬季到海南，夏季到河北、内蒙古等北方地区候鸟式旅居养老，满足90%以上活力老年人多层次、多样化养老服务需求。
Every winter for the last three years, 70-year-old Wang Shuqin and her husband have journeyed from their home in Beijing to Sanya, a seaside resort city in south China"s Hainan Province. They begin their southern sojourn each November and return north as spring arrives the following year.
在过去的三年里，每年冬天，70岁的王淑琴和她的丈夫都会从北京的家出发，前往中国南部海南省的海滨度假城市三亚。他们每年11月开始在南方旅居，次年春天到来时返回北方。
"My husband has rhinitis during the cold months," said Wang, explaining the reason behind their annual migration. "Since we started spending our winters there, he has been free from the trouble of a runny nose."
“我丈夫在寒冷的月份有鼻炎，”王解释了他们每年迁徙的原因。“自从我们开始在那里过冬以来，他就没有流鼻涕的麻烦了。”
This practice, where seniors travel south for the winter and return north in the spring, similar to migratory birds, has become popular among retired Chinese seniors and is known as "migratory bird-style" elderly care. Seniors like Wang are adopting this seasonal movement in search of milder weather to improve their health and well-being.
这种做法类似候鸟，老年人冬天南下，春天北上，在中国退休老年人中很流行，被称为“候鸟式”养老。像王这样的老年人正采取这种季节性运动，寻找温和的天气来改善他们的健康和幸福。
The seasonal migration trend in elderly care
养老服务的季节性迁移趋势
Data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs shows that individuals aged 60 and over now constitute 19.8 percent of China"s total population as of the end of 2022. As the trend of an aging population becomes more pronounced in China, the elderly are focusing more on elderly care issues. They are increasingly drawn to destinations that offer beautiful scenery, fresh air, affordable living and a relaxed lifestyle for their retirement years.
民政部的数据显示，截至2022年底，60岁及以上的个人占中国总人口的19.8%。随着中国人口老龄化趋势日益明显，老年人越来越关注养老问题。他们越来越多地被那些风景优美、空气清新、生活实惠、退休后生活轻松的目的地所吸引。
Recognizing this trend, the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau announced initiatives in December to promote "winter in the south and summer in the north" elderly care services. These initiatives focus on developing high-quality, cost-effective off-site healthcare communities to broaden the range of residential and home care options available to older adults, ensuring they have access to diverse and comfortable living arrangements throughout the year.
认识到这一趋势，北京市民政局于12月宣布了推广“南冬北夏”养老服务的举措。这些举措侧重于发展高质量、具有成本效益的非现场医疗保健社区，以扩大老年人可获得的住宿和家庭护理选择的范围，确保他们全年都能获得多样化和舒适的生活安排。
In line with these initiatives, Hainan is recommended as a winter destination for elderly residents. Known for its temperate climate, it has long been a popular destination for "migratory birds" from northern China. In 2022, Sanya reported a registered population of around 0.73 million, while the number of people staying there for more than half the year exceeded 1.06 million.
根据这些举措，海南被推荐为老年居民的冬季目的地。这里以温和的气候而闻名，长期以来一直是中国北方“候鸟”的热门目的地。2022年，三亚的户籍人口约为73万，而在那里居住半年以上的人数超过106万。
"The climate here is pleasant, and we enjoy an abundance of fruits and seafood," said Wang. "Travel is convenient, and living costs are quite reasonable. In Hainan, my husband and I can live comfortably on a single retirement income and still manage to save. That"s not something we can do in Beijing."
王说：“这里气候宜人，水果和海鲜丰富。”“旅行很方便，生活费用也很合理。在海南，我和丈夫靠一笔退休收入就能过上舒适的生活，而且还能存点钱。这在北京是办不到的。”
Challenges and opportunities in elderly care mobility
养老服务流动的挑战和机遇
"As material living standards continue to rise, the choice of "migratory bird-style" elderly care model reflects an enhanced focus on the spiritual and qualitative aspects of people"s lives," said Liu Yaqiu, a researcher at the National Institute of Social Development at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
中国社会科学院社会发展战略研究院研究员刘亚秋说：“随着物质生活水平的不断提高，选择‘候鸟式’养老模式反映出人们更加关注人们生活的精神和质量方面。”
"This model not only addresses the personal needs of seniors for a more fulfilling life, but it also alleviates the pressure on elder care in urban areas, particularly in large cities," she told CGTN.
她告诉CGTN：“这种模式不仅满足了老年人对更充实生活的个人需求，还减轻了城市地区，特别是大城市老年人护理的压力。”
"Additionally, this model encourages higher-income elderly individuals to increase their spending, which in turn boosts the economic vitality of society and promotes development in economically less-developed areas."
“此外，这种模式鼓励收入较高的老年人增加支出，这反过来又增强了社会的经济活力，促进了经济欠发达地区的发展。”
Liu explained that traditional elderly care models, such as home care, community care and institutional care, are generally stationary, catering mainly to the less active elderly and those who require assistance. In contrast, the "migratory bird-style" model combines elder care with travel and has an element of mobility for more active seniors.
刘解释说，传统的养老模式，如家庭护理、社区护理和机构护理，通常是固定的，主要面向不太活跃的老年人和需要帮助的人。相比之下，“候鸟式”模式将老年人护理与旅行相结合，并为更活跃的老年人提供了流动性元素。
"This approach not only acknowledges the elderly as a consumer group but also recognizes them as economically active participants," Liu said.
刘说：“这种方式不仅承认老年人是一个消费群体，而且也承认他们是经济活动的参与者。”
In addition to Hainan, other regions like Heilongjiang Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China and the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan in the southwest have also embraced the concept of "migratory bird-style" elderly care. For example, Panzhihua, a city in the southernmost part of Sichuan, has enhanced its medical service facilities and developed its transportation infrastructure to better accommodate the needs of the elderly.
除了海南，其他地区，如中国北部的黑龙江省和内蒙古自治区，以及西南部的四川省和云南省，也接受了“候鸟式”养老的概念。例如，四川最南端的攀枝花市加强了医疗服务设施，发展了交通基础设施，以更好地满足老年人的需求。
However, as the trend gains popularity, it brings with it certain challenges, including issues with medical treatment reimbursement in different provinces and varying levels of service quality, Liu noted, adding that despite measures taken to promote cross-provincial medical insurance in recent years, there are still gaps in the medical resources available across different provinces.
然而，刘指出，随着这一趋势的流行，它也带来了一些挑战，包括不同省份的医疗报销问题和不同水平的服务质量。她补充说，尽管近年来采取了促进跨省医疗保险的措施，但不同省份的可用医疗资源仍存在差距。
"Government involvement can play a crucial role in establishing a more standardized market," she said. "Such standardization would assist in addressing the specific challenges that arise in the daily lives and care of the elderly."
她说：“政府的参与可以在建立一个更加标准化的市场方面发挥关键作用。”。“这种标准化将有助于解决老年人日常生活和护理中出现的具体挑战。”
"A broader coverage of the direct settlement of trans-provincial medical expenses and more designated medical institutions and pharmacies could alleviate the concerns of the elderly who reside in regions outside their home province," she said.
她说：“更广泛地覆盖跨省医疗费用的直接结算，以及更多的指定医疗机构和药店，可以缓解居住在家乡以外地区的老年人的担忧。”
