In the latest Health Talk, Peking University Professor Hu Yong opens up about his journey of balancing a thriving academic career with the emotional and physical demands of caring for his elderly, ailing parents.
For Hu, caregiving is more than an obligation—it’s a fundamental human need that spans the entire life cycle, from childhood nurturing to support in old age. “No one can truly evade this role,” he says, highlighting the profound personal strength required to embrace the dual identity of scholar and caregiver.
His personal battle—especially coping with his mother’s Alzheimer’s—revealed the isolation and exhaustion many family caregivers face. Shifting beyond his primary field of research, Hu now advocates for a care-oriented society backed by systemic support, such as long-term care insurance and community-based services that can ease the burden on millions of informal caregivers.
Hu argues that family caregivers act as the essential social bottom-line: without their dedication, the entire healthcare and social security system would collapse. He also expands the discussion to the importance of death quality, urging society to ensure a peaceful and dignified end-of-life experience for all.
More than a personal account, Professor Hu’s journey illuminates the urgent need for systemic change and offers an intimate perspective on the dignity of life and death in the Chinese mainland’s rapidly aging society.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
