Populations are aging with changes in living arrangements of the elderly in most
countries, resulting from lower fertility, higher mobility, changing attitudes about family
structure and function, and increasing life expectancy, especially mortality declines in
later life. The population of China, which consists of more than two-fifth of the world
total, is aging at an extraordinarily rapid speed. There are important interactions among
population aging, changes in living arrangements of the elderly, and long-term care
service needs. Such interactions are directly related to community and family support
systems, and public policies. This paper reviews the extremely rapid aging and the
current status and trends in living arrangements of elderly in China. Some policy
recommendations will also be proposed based on our analysis.