Developing a Long-term Care Model for Urban China: Lessons

Developing a sustainable long-term care (LTC) system poses a challenge globally and is particularly urgent in China given its rapidly aging population. Despite recent policy initiatives, China’s LTC system remains at early stage. This study conducted a comprehensive literature review (PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, CNKI) and applied recurrent theme and comparative analyses to examine mature LTC models in selected countries and identify critical success factors transferable to China’s unique socioeconomic and cultural context. Six core elements associated with successful LTC models were identified. Insights from the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Brazil provide actionable strategies that, with appropriate adaptation to China’s socioeconomic and cultural context, can inform the development of an effective, sustainable, and culturally sensitive LTC model.