Learning encouraged

Teng, from Fosun Integrated Care Group, said another reason for the rapid development of high-quality retirement communities is that they pay more attention to seniors' desire to keep an open mind to the changing world around them and to continue exploring it.

Chen Xingyan, president of NEY International Investment Group, which operates Evergreen Homeland, a retirement community in Shanghai, said, "We encourage seniors to keep learning, which can serve as a prop in life to improve resilience to stress and unforeseeable changes."

Many of the communities offer seniors classes in various subjects, including calligraphy, dancing, piano and ball games.

Yuan Naizhong, 75, who has lived in a community in Shanghai for nearly two years, has organized his fellow residents to give regular talks about their careers.

"We have a well-known director, an academician in the aerospace field, a former chief engineer of a nuclear power station and a retired senior judge among us. We are very happy that we can gather together and share our experiences and wisdom in life," said Yuan, who was a journalist before retirement.

Xu Haoxing, 93, who lives in a Starcastle community, said, "I have two things that I am proud of in my retirement. I did a skydive when I was 70 and I visited Hawaii, a trip organized by the community, when I was 90."