In China, the phenomenon of young men and women offering their services as "shared children" or "contracted children" for elderly people living alone is growing. This trend emerges in a context of low fertility rates and rapid population aging, which has significantly increased the number of elderly people experiencing loneliness in the country.
The providers of this service are mostly young people in their 20s and 30s, who dedicate themselves to providing companionship to clients rather than specialized medical care. Their activities include visiting the elderly, having conversations, helping with smartphone setup, and accompanying them to medical appointments.
Advertisements for these services are abundant on Chinese social media, where prices range from 29 to 88 dollars per three-hour session. The article was mentioning data from the World Health Organization when it was interrupted.
