PRC Law On Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly

Law on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly of the People's Republic of China

Contents

Chapter I: General Provisions

Chapter 2: Familial Support and Maintenance

Chapter 4: Social Services

Chapter 5: Social Privileges

Chapter 6: Suitable Living Environment

Chapter 7: Participation in Social Development

Chapter VIII: Legal Responsibility

Chapter 9: Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I: General Provisions

Article 1: This law is formulated in accordance with the Constitution, in order to protect the lawful rights and interests of the elderly, develop the cause of the aged and uphold the Chinese virtues of respecting, supporting and assisting the elderly.

Article 2: The Elderly, as used in this law, refers to citizens 60 years-old and older.

Article 3: The state guarantees the elderly's enjoyment of rights and interests to which they are entitled by law.

The Elderly have the right to receive material assistance from the State and society, the right to partake of social services and social privileges, and the right to participate in social development and jointly share in the fruits of development.

Discrimination against, demeaning, mistreating or abandoning the elderly are prohibited.

Article 4: Actively responding to the aging population is one of the state's long term strategic missions.

The state and society should take measures to improve all systems for protecting the rights of the elderly, and to gradually improve the conditions of the elderly's lives, health and safety as well as the their capacity to participate in social development and to ensure that the elderly have support, medical care, purpose, education and entertainment.

Article 5: The State will establish a multi-leveled social security system, to gradually increase the level of protection for the elderly.

The State will establish and perfect a social support services system for the elderly, to be based in the home, bolstered by the community and with organizations providing support.

Preferential treatment of the elderly throughout society is advocated.

Article 6: People's Governments at all levels should integrate the elderly's efforts into their citizen economic and social development plans, should include old age programs in their budget, establish mechanisms for ensuring stable funding, and encourage all sectors of the community to invest, for the coordinated development of eldercare, the economy, and society.

The State Council formulates a plan for developing undertakings for the elderly. Local people's Governments at the county level or above will formulate development plans and annual plans for the development of undertakings for the elderly within their administrative region, and based on the national development plan for the elderly.

People's governments at or above the county level are responsible for the agencies on elderly work and are responsible for organizing, coordinating, guiding, and encouraging relevant departments to perform work to secure the rights and interests of the elderly.

Article 7: Ensuring the lawful rights and interests of the elderly is a common responsibility of the entire society.

State organs, social groups, enterprises, work places and other organizations shall, in accordance with their respective responsibilities, work to ensure the rights and interests of the elderly.

Basic level self-governing mass organizations and lawfully established organizations for the elderly shall report on the needs of the elderly, protect the lawful rights and interests of the elderly, and work to serve the elderly.

Volunteer work to serve the elderly is promoted and encouraged.

Article 8: The state carries out education regarding the aging of the population, and increases the entire society's awareness and active response to the aging of the population.

The entire society should widely implement promotional and educational activities on respecting, supporting and assisting the elderly, to establish a social trend of honoring, caring for and helping the elderly.

Youth organizations, schools and kindergartens should carry out ethics education for young people and children on the values of respecting the elderly, supporting the elderly and assisting the elderly and legal education on the rights and interests of the elderly.

Broadcasts, film, television, newspapers and magazines and the internet shall reflect the lives of older persons, promote the protection of the lawful rights and interests of the elderly, and serve the elderly.

Article 9: The state supports scientific research on aging and establishes a system for statistical inquiry into and publication on the conditions of the elderly.

Article 10: People's governments at all levels and relevant departments follow the relevant national provisions in giving commendations and awards to organizations, households or individuals with outstanding achievements in preserving the lawful rights and interests of the elderly and in respecting, supporting and assisting the elderly and also to elderly persons making outstanding contributions to social development.

Article 11: The elderly should abide by the law and fulfill obligations as prescribed by law.

Article 12: Each year, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month will be Elders' Day.

Chapter 2: Familial Support and Maintenance

Article 14: Caretakers should perform the obligations of providing the elderly with economic support, daily needs and spiritual comfort, and looking after the special needs of the elderly.

Caretakers refers to the children of the elderly and other people bearing support obligations in accordance with the law.

Spouses of caretakers should assist in the caretaker's performance of support obligations.

Article 15: Caretakers should make elderly persons with illnesses get timely treatment and care; and provide medical fees for elderly persons with economic difficulties.

Caretakers should bear responsibility to care for elderly persons unable to provide for themselves; those who are unable to personally provide care may entrust others or eldercare organizations to care for the elderly person in accordance with his wishes.

Article 16: Caretakers should make proper arrangements for elderly persons' housing, and must not force the elderly person to live in or move into inferior housing.

Housing owned or leased by an elderly person must not be appropriated by their children or other relatives, and its property ownership and rental relations must not be changed.

Caretakers have a duty to maintain houses owned by the elderly.

Article 17: Caretakers have a duty to farm fields fields contracted to the elderly or to retain someone to farm them, to tend the elderly person's trees and animals or retain someone to do so, and so on, with the proceeds going to the elderly person.

Article 18: Family members should be attentive to the the spiritual needs of the elderly, and must not overlook or neglect the elderly.

Family members living apart from elderly persons, shall frequently visit or send greetings to the elderly persons.

Employers should follow the relevant national provisions to ensure the rights of caretakers to visit family on vacations.

Article 19: Caretakers must not refuse to perform their support obligations on grounds such as having waived their right to inheritance.

Where caretakers do not perform their support obligations, the elderly have rights such as to demand support payments from the caretaker.

Caretakers must not demand that the elderly undertake labor for which they lack the strength.

Article 20: With the consent of an elderly person, caretakers may sign agreements among themselves regarding the performance of support obligations. The substance of the agreement must not be contrary to legal provisions or the will of the elderly person.

Basic-level mass organizations, organizations for the elderly or the caretaker's work unit supervise the performance of the agreement.

Article 21: Elderly person's freedom to marry is protected by law. Children or other relatives must not interfere with the elderly's marriages, re-marriages or post-marriage life.

Caretaker's support obligations are not to be changed or terminated by reason of the elderly person's marital status.

Article 22: The elderly enjoy the rights to possess, use, benefit from and dispose of personal property in accordance with law, and their children or other relatives must not interfere with the elderly's property rights or violate them by means such as theft, fraud or extortion.

The elderly enjoy the right to inherit property from their parents, spouses, children or other family members, and the right to accept gifts. Their children or other relatives must not appropriate, steal, transfer, conceal or damage property that should be inherited or received by an elderly person.

Where the elderly dispose of property in their will, their spouse should retain the share they need in accordance with law.

Article 23: The elderly and their spouses have mutual obligations of support.

Siblings who were brought up by their elder brothers or sisters and who as adults are able to bear the burden, have an obligation to support their elder siblings in old age.

Article 24: Where caretakers and providers do not perform their obligations of support and care, basic level mass autonomous organizations, organizations for the elderly or the workplace of the caretaker or provider should urge their performance.

Article 25: Domestic violence against the elderly is prohibited.

Article 26: Elderly persons who have full civil competence may designate a guardian for themselves from among their relatives or other individuals of organizations with whom they have close ties and that are willing to undertake the responsibility of guardianship. The guardian assumes guardianship when the elderly person loses or partially loses their civil capacity.

When elderly people who have not previously designated a guardian lose or partially lose their civil capacity, a guardian is designated in accordance with relevant law.

Article 27: The State establishes and completes a policy of full family elder-care support, encourages family members and the elderly to live together or near each other, facilitates the elderly's relocation to be with spouses or caretakers and provides assistance to family members caring for the elderly.^[1]

Chapter III: Social Security

Article 28: The State ensures the basic livelihood of the elderly through the the basic old-age insurance system.

Article 29: The State ensures the basic medical needs of the elderly through the basic medical insurance system. The government will provide subsidies for the required individual copay of elderly persons who are entitled to the minimum living guarantee or meet the requirements for a minimum income household and who are participating in the new rural cooperative and urban resident's basic insurance.

Relevant departments formulating the medical insurance scheme should look after the elderly.

Article 30: The nation gradually launches efforts to ensure long-term care, and ensures the care needs of the elderly.

For elderly persons who cannot care for themselves over a long period or who have economic hardships, local people's governments at all levels should provide a care subsidy based on their degree of incapacity and other factors.

Article 31: The state gives elderly persons facing economic harship, basic living, medical, housing and other assistance.

Local people's governments at all levels follow the relevant provisions to provide support and assistance for elderly persons without the capacity to work, without a source of livelihood and without persons to maintain and support them, or whose caretakers and supporters truly lack capacity to maintain and support them.

Local people's Governments at all levels follow the relevant provisions to provide assistance to elderly persons who have become vagrants, beggars, been abandoned or otherwise lack a stable livelihood.

Article 32: 地方各级人民政府在实施廉租住房、公共租赁住房等住房保障制度或者进行危旧房屋改造时，应当优先照顾符合条件的老年人。

Article 33: 国家建立和完善老年人福利制度，根据经济社会发展水平和老年人的实际需要，增加老年人的社会福利。

国家鼓励地方建立八十周岁以上低收入老年人高龄津贴制度。

国家建立和完善计划生育家庭老年人扶助制度。

农村可以将未承包的集体所有的部分土地、山林、水面、滩涂等作为养老基地，收益供老年人养老。

Article 34: 老年人依法享有的养老金、医疗待遇和其他待遇应当得到保障，有关机构必须按时足额支付，不得克扣、拖欠或者挪用。

国家根据经济发展以及职工平均工资增长、物价上涨等情况，适时提高养老保障水平。

Article 35: 国家鼓励慈善组织以及其他组织和个人为老年人提供物质帮助。

Article 36: 老年人可以与集体经济组织、基层群众性自治组织、养老机构等组织或者个人签订遗赠扶养协议或者其他扶助协议。

Chapter 4: Social Services

Article 37: 地方各级人民政府和有关部门应当采取措施，发展城乡社区养老服务，鼓励、扶持专业服务机构及其他组织和个人，为居家的老年人提供生活照料、紧急救援、医疗护理、精神慰藉、心理咨询等多种形式的服务。

对经济困难的老年人，地方各级人民政府应当逐步给予养老服务补贴。

Article 38: 地方各级人民政府和有关部门、基层群众性自治组织，应当将养老服务设施纳入城乡社区配套设施建设规划，建立适应老年人需要的生活服务、文化体育活动、日间照料、疾病护理与康复等服务设施和网点，就近为老年人提供服务。

发扬邻里互助的传统，提倡邻里间关心、帮助有困难的老年人。

Encourage charitable organizations and volunteers to serve the elderly Initiate mutual assistance among the elderly.

Article 39: 各级人民政府应当根据经济发展水平和老年人服务需求，逐步增加对养老服务的投入。

各级人民政府和有关部门在财政、税费、土地、融资等方面采取措施，鼓励、扶持企业事业单位、社会组织或者个人兴办、运营养老、老年人日间照料、老年文化体育活动等设施。

Article 40: 地方各级人民政府和有关部门应当按照老年人口比例及分布情况，将养老服务设施建设纳入城乡规划和土地利用总体规划，统筹安排养老服务设施建设用地及所需物资。

非营利性养老服务设施用地，可以依法使用国有划拨土地或者农民集体所有的土地。

养老服务设施用地，非经法定程序不得改变用途。

Article 41: 政府投资兴办的养老机构，应当优先保障经济困难的孤寡、失能、高龄等老年人的服务需求。

Article 42: 国务院有关部门制定养老服务设施建设、养老服务质量和养老服务职业等标准，建立健全养老机构分类管理和养老服务评估制度。

各级人民政府应当规范养老服务收费项目和标准，加强监督和管理。

Article 43: The establishment of organizations for the care of the elderly shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Have there own name, residence and charter;

(2) Have funding suited to the services and model;

（三）有符合相关资格条件的管理人员、专业技术人员和服务人员；

（四）有基本的生活用房、设施设备和活动场地；

（五）法律、法规规定的其他条件。

Article 44: 设立养老机构应当向县级以上人民政府民政部门申请行政许可；经许可的，依法办理相应的登记。

县级以上人民政府民政部门负责养老机构的指导、监督和管理，其他有关部门依照职责分工对养老机构实施监督。

Article 45: 养老机构变更或者终止的，应当妥善安置收住的老年人，并依照规定到有关部门办理手续。有关部门应当为养老机构妥善安置老年人提供帮助。

Article 46: 国家建立健全养老服务人才培养、使用、评价和激励制度，依法规范用工，促进从业人员劳动报酬合理增长，发展专职、兼职和志愿者相结合的养老服务队伍。

国家鼓励高等学校、中等职业学校和职业培训机构设置相关专业或者培训项目，培养养老服务专业人才。

Article 47: 养老机构应当与接受服务的老年人或者其代理人签订服务协议，明确双方的权利、义务。

养老机构及其工作人员不得以任何方式侵害老年人的权益。

Article 48: 国家鼓励养老机构投保责任保险，鼓励保险公司承保责任保险。

Article 49: 各级人民政府和有关部门应当将老年医疗卫生服务纳入城乡医疗卫生服务规划，将老年人健康管理和常见病预防等纳入国家基本公共卫生服务项目。鼓励为老年人提供保健、护理、临终关怀等服务。

国家鼓励医疗机构开设针对老年病的专科或者门诊。

医疗卫生机构应当开展老年人的健康服务和疾病防治工作。

Article 50: 国家采取措施，加强老年医学的研究和人才培养，提高老年病的预防、治疗、科研水平，促进老年病的早期发现、诊断和治疗。

国家和社会采取措施，开展各种形式的健康教育，普及老年保健知识，增强老年人自我保健意识。

Article 51: 国家采取措施，发展老龄产业，将老龄产业列入国家扶持行业目录。扶持和引导企业开发、生产、经营适应老年人需要的用品和提供相关的服务。^[1]

Chapter 5: Social Privileges

Article 52: 县级以上人民政府及其有关部门根据经济社会发展情况和老年人的特殊需要，制定优待老年人的办法，逐步提高优待水平。

对常住在本行政区域内的外埠老年人给予同等优待。

Article 53: 各级人民政府和有关部门应当为老年人及时、便利地领取养老金、结算医疗费和享受其他物质帮助提供条件。

Article 54: 各级人民政府和有关部门办理房屋权属关系变更、户口迁移等涉及老年人权益的重大事项时，应当就办理事项是否为老年人的真实意思表示进行询问，并依法优先办理。

Article 55: 老年人因其合法权益受侵害提起诉讼交纳诉讼费确有困难的，可以缓交、减交或者免交；需要获得律师帮助，但无力支付律师费用的，可以获得法律援助。

鼓励律师事务所、公证处、基层法律服务所和其他法律服务机构为经济困难的老年人提供免费或者优惠服务。

Article 56: 医疗机构应当为老年人就医提供方便，对老年人就医予以优先。有条件的地方，可以为老年人设立家庭病床，开展巡回医疗、护理、康复、免费体检等服务。

提倡为老年人义诊。

Article 57: 提倡与老年人日常生活密切相关的服务行业为老年人提供优先、优惠服务。

城市公共交通、公路、铁路、水路和航空客运，应当为老年人提供优待和照顾。

Article 58: 博物馆、美术馆、科技馆、纪念馆、公共图书馆、文化馆、影剧院、体育场馆、公园、旅游景点等场所，应当对老年人免费或者优惠开放。

Article 59: 农村老年人不承担兴办公益事业的筹劳义务。^[1]

Chapter 6: Suitable Living Environment

Article 60: 国家采取措施，推进宜居环境建设，为老年人提供安全、便利和舒适的环境。

Article 61: 各级人民政府在制定城乡规划时，应当根据人口老龄化发展趋势、老年人口分布和老年人的特点，统筹考虑适合老年人的公共基础设施、生活服务设施、医疗卫生设施和文化体育设施建设。

Article 62: 国家制定和完善涉及老年人的工程建设标准体系，在规划、设计、施工、监理、验收、运行、维护、管理等环节加强相关标准的实施与监督。

Article 63: 国家制定无障碍设施工程建设标准。新建、改建和扩建道路、公共交通设施、建筑物、居住区等，应当符合国家无障碍设施工程建设标准。

各级人民政府和有关部门应当按照国家无障碍设施工程建设标准，优先推进与老年人日常生活密切相关的公共服务设施的改造。

无障碍设施的所有人和管理人应当保障无障碍设施正常使用。

Article 64: 国家推动老年宜居社区建设，引导、支持老年宜居住宅的开发，推动和扶持老年人家庭无障碍设施的改造，为老年人创造无障碍居住环境。^[1]

Chapter 7: Participation in Social Development

Article 65: 国家和社会应当重视、珍惜老年人的知识、技能、经验和优良品德，发挥老年人的专长和作用，保障老年人参与经济、政治、文化和社会生活。

Article 66: 老年人可以通过老年人组织，开展有益身心健康的活动。

Article 67: 制定法律、法规、规章和公共政策，涉及老年人权益重大问题的，应当听取老年人和老年人组织的意见。

老年人和老年人组织有权向国家机关提出老年人权益保障、老龄事业发展等方面的意见和建议。

Article 68: 国家为老年人参与社会发展创造条件。根据社会需要和可能，鼓励老年人在自愿和量力的情况下，从事下列活动：

（一）对青少年和儿童进行社会主义、爱国主义、集体主义和艰苦奋斗等优良传统教育；

（二）传授文化和科技知识；

（三）提供咨询服务；

（四）依法参与科技开发和应用；

（五）依法从事经营和生产活动；

（六）参加志愿服务、兴办社会公益事业；

（七）参与维护社会治安、协助调解民间纠纷；

（八）参加其他社会活动。

Article 69: 老年人参加劳动的合法收入受法律保护。

任何单位和个人不得安排老年人从事危害其身心健康的劳动或者危险作业。

Article 70: 老年人有继续受教育的权利。

国家发展老年教育，把老年教育纳入终身教育体系，鼓励社会办好各类老年学校。

各级人民政府对老年教育应当加强领导，统一规划，加大投入。

Article 71: 国家和社会采取措施，开展适合老年人的群众性文化、体育、娱乐活动，丰富老年人的精神文化生活。^[1]

Chapter VIII: Legal Responsibility

Article 72: 老年人合法权益受到侵害的，被侵害人或者其代理人有权要求有关部门处理，或者依法向人民法院提起诉讼。

人民法院和有关部门，对侵犯老年人合法权益的申诉、控告和检举，应当依法及时受理，不得推诿、拖延。

Article 73: 不履行保护老年人合法权益职责的部门或者组织，其上级主管部门应当给予批评教育，责令改正。

国家工作人员违法失职，致使老年人合法权益受到损害的，由其所在单位或者上级机关责令改正，或者依法给予处分；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。

Article 74: 老年人与家庭成员因赡养、扶养或者住房、财产等发生纠纷，可以申请人民调解委员会或者其他有关组织进行调解，也可以直接向人民法院提起诉讼。

人民调解委员会或者其他有关组织调解前款纠纷时，应当通过说服、疏导等方式化解矛盾和纠纷；对有过错的家庭成员，应当给予批评教育。

人民法院对老年人追索赡养费或者扶养费的申请，可以依法裁定先予执行。

Article 75: 干涉老年人婚姻自由，对老年人负有赡养义务、扶养义务而拒绝赡养、扶养，虐待老年人或者对老年人实施家庭暴力的，由有关单位给予批评教育；构成违反治安管理行为的，依法给予治安管理处罚；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。

Article 76: 家庭成员盗窃、诈骗、抢夺、侵占、勒索、故意损毁老年人财物，构成违反治安管理行为的，依法给予治安管理处罚；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。

Article 77: Whoever insults or slanders the elderly, constituting a violation of public security, shall be punished in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security; if the case constitutes a crime, his criminal responsibility shall be pursued according to law.

Article 78: 未经许可设立养老机构的，由县级以上人民政府民政部门责令改正；符合法律、法规规定的养老机构条件的，依法补办相关手续；逾期达不到法定条件的，责令停办并妥善安置收住的老年人；造成损害的，依法承担民事责任。

Article 79: 养老机构及其工作人员侵害老年人人身和财产权益，或者未按照约定提供服务的，依法承担民事责任；有关主管部门依法给予行政处罚；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。

Article 80: 对养老机构负有管理和监督职责的部门及其工作人员滥用职权、玩忽职守、徇私舞弊的，对直接负责的主管人员和其他直接责任人员依法给予处分；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。

Article 81: The relevant concerned department will give order a correction where the duty to give preferential treatment to the elderly is not performed in compliance with provisions.

Article 82: 涉及老年人的工程不符合国家规定的标准或者无障碍设施所有人、管理人未尽到维护和管理职责的，由有关主管部门责令改正；造成损害的，依法承担民事责任；对有关单位、个人依法给予行政处罚；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。^[1]

Chapter 9: Supplementary Provisions

Article 83: The people's congresses of minority autonomous regions may follow the principles of this law combined with local minority customs and specific conditions to formulate alternative or supplementary provisions in accordance with statutory procedures.

Article 84: Where eldercare organizations established before the this law takes effect do not meet the requirements of its provisions, corrections should be made within a fixed time. The specific methods are to be formulated by the Civil Administration Department under the State Council.

Article 85: This law shall take effect on July 1, 2013.