The Economist.
The world's second-largest population is aging and shrinking at the same time,
and soon China will have vast numbers of old people with dementia
and fewer young people to take care of them.
China is about to be hit by a wave of Alzheimer's disease.
A disease like Alzheimer's tests any country, it'll be especially hard for China
where a weak primary health care system struggles to provide people with good basic care
let alone the sort needed to tackle dementia.
It will also really test Chinese society, which relies on grandparents for free childcare.
It's going to put a burden on the lives of adult children as they care for aging parents.
And often, thanks to the one-child policy, with no brothers and sisters to help.
I'm Alice Su, The Economist's Senior China Correspondent,
and I'm here with my co-host, David Rennie, our Beijing Bureau Chief.
This week, we're asking,
what weak points will the coming wave of Alzheimer's and dementia expose in Chinese society?
This is Drum Tower.
From The Economist.
David, hello.
How are you?
I'm basically well except that it's hay fever season,