Late last year, Beijingers Sun Lijuan and her husband, both in their 60s, decided to book an apartment for no fewer than six months in Lingshui Li Autonomous County in China's southernmost island province of Hainan and move there for the winter season. According to Sun, they are having the time of their lives.

Sun was diagnosed with chronic joint pain a few years ago, and her husband has been suffering from respiratory problems for more than 10 years. So they decided to take advantage of tropical Hainan's mild winter weather, with temperatures averaging around 20 degrees Celsius, to alleviate their symptoms. After all, strong scientific evidence has long indicated that sunlight is essential for people's health.

"Hainan's air and temperature agree with us," Sun told Beijing Review. "We've only been here for four months, but we're already feeling much better—my husband is breathing easier and my knees don't hurt like they did a few months ago."

Often referred to as the Oriental Hawaii, given its location at the same latitude as the island of Hawaii in the United States, Hainan is a prestigious winter destination for tourists and seniors suffering from chronic health conditions. The island is lush with tropical plants, and its ensuing superb air quality has earned it the reputation of a "natural oxygen bar."

Seniors like Sun and her husband are referred to as "migratory birds." They migrate from their habitat at the higher latitudes to a warmer spot in the country's southern region as soon as the first whiff of winter cold hits the country's north. Like the birds, they return home once the first signs of spring pop up.

On Xiaohongshu, a wildly popular Chinese lifestyle and e-commerce app, these Hainan enthusiasts join their younger counterparts in sharing snippets of their daily life in the south. In addition, hashtags such as "How much does it cost to spend the winter in Sanya?" "Which city in Hainan is the most senior-friendly?" and "Recommendations for health care centers in Hainan" are tropically hot.

Luo Shougui, a professor at the Antai School of Economics and Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, told Chinanews.com that this "migratory-style senior care" is a great opportunity to develop the country's overall silver economy, or a market that covers all economic activities targeting the needs of an aging population—which refers to individuals aged 60 and above. China, according to the World Health Organization, "has one of the fastest growing aging populations in the world." The further development of the country's silver economy will offer a solution to this prevailing challenge.

According to Luo, the year 2023 marked the retirement peak for people born during China's first baby boom in the 1960s, with about 25.5 million people turning 60 and retiring. From 2022 to 2035, the average annual new senior population in China is projected to hit 22.4 million, leading to concerns about elderly care services.

"China has both the needs and resources for a senior care economy," Luo added. "China has a vast territory, spanning temperate, subtropical and tropical regions from north to south, allowing for significant temperature differences. With one flight ticket, Chinese seniors can experience vast seasonal changes in just a few hours."

The whole package 

Sun and her husband have been so happy with their Hainan hibernation experience that they have already gone on to sign a long-term contract with the landlord, meaning they will be spending their winters on the island for the next five years.

Temperature and air quality aside, many other advantages, including pricing, available services and convenience, were all deciding factors for the couple.

"Our apartment costs 3,000 yuan ($416) a month, and if you sign a long-term contract, the price is even lower," Sun said. "We also love the services offered by the community." By comparison, as of late last year, the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment in urban areas of Beijing was over 6,000 yuan ($833).

There's a neighborhood canteen that serves meals for less than 20 yuan ($2.8) per day, several supermarkets and a public hospital within walking distance, and, most importantly, a community center where residents can gather. "I've been eyeing the embroidery club," Sun elaborated.

The "whole-package service" and neighborly atmosphere attract, and are required by, migratory residents. One leasing agent in Sanya, the island's southernmost city, surnamed Yang told Beijing Review that his clients, elderly ones in particular, tend to seek a sense of "home."

"Most of them come here by themselves—either single or as a couple, and their children can only visit them during the holidays, so they need their own social circle," Yang explained, "Whether a neighborhood is 'homey' enough is very important for them."

In a bid to define the "homey" vibes, Yang's clients usually ask about the number of older people residing in the neighborhood, the frequency of senior social gatherings, the categories of community service, supporting facilities, and the quality of the property management service.

All-round care 

Renting or buying an apartment and living there independently is a good option for migratory seniors like Sun and her husband, who are not seriously ill and can take care of themselves. But even for those who no longer have that kind of mobility or cannot take care of themselves, Hainan is still a good place given its senior care and medical facilities.

In March 2023, the Information Office of the Hainan Provincial Government announced that as of late 2022, 135 senior care institutions were fully operational on the island. The province's rural areas featured 203 community daycare centers and 59 canteens catering to the elderly specifically, and 1,381 urban and rural communities provided home-based care services. The data revealed that 96.2 percent of these senior-care-related institutions could offer medical services.

Shanghai-based Liu Shuang was attracted by the high-quality medical services on offer in Hainan and she traveled to the island during this year's Spring Festival holiday, from February 10 to 17, to check out some institutions for her parents-in-law.

Many families in China today still reside in multi-generational homes.

"My in-laws are in their 70s. We—my husband and I—both work full-time and have two kids. We barely have the time to look after my husband's parents as well," Liu told Beijing Review.

"The price of senior care services in Shanghai has skyrocketed in recent years. As the senior care industry, known as one of Hainan's pillar industries, is fully developed, the island is a good place for my in-laws to live in their later years. It's not too far away, so we can still visit them during the holidays," she added.

The institution Liu chose for her in-laws offers many superlative services, including 24/7 monitoring rights for guardians, a one-on-one on-call nurse, diets designed by a seasoned nutritionist, advanced medical equipment that meets national standards, guest lectures and leisure activities, and daily massages. The all-inclusive monthly fee for each senior is 7,300 yuan ($1,013), which Liu deemed "affordable."

Wu Minsheng, an official with the Hainan Provincial Health Commission, said this combination of multiple functions is a necessary one.

"Without the support of medical institutions, it is difficult for senior homes to attract a huge customer base. Because as people age, they will likely develop some type of chronic disease or suffer from multiple coexisting ailments that require frequent and professional medical services," Wu told Lwt.hainan.gov.cn. "In addition to public medical institutions, more and more private institutions are playing a huge role in promoting the development of the integration of medical care and elderly care."

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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