NANJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Instead of spending her retirement at home and being taken care of by her children like the majority of elderly Chinese, 74-year-old Jin Hongyin now lives at a retirement home in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.

    Jin explains, "My children are very busy with their work; they have their own lifestyles and I enjoy my own. Living together may cause hassles for both of us."

    Jin's husband passed away several years ago and her three sons are all married. Two years ago, Jin rented out her house and moved to the retirement home at Shuangtang Neighborhood Community.

    Jin said, "I can chat and play cards with my friends, and sometimes I watch TV programs. Life here is interesting and colorful."

    It is a traditional value in China that children should support their elderly parents and guarantee them a happy life. Sending parents to retirement homes is not looked upon favorably. In addition, most parents regard leaving their property to their children as the most important legacy they can give their offspring.

    "When my mother decided to live in a retirement home, my wife planned to quit her job and take care of my mother at home, but my mother refused," said Lei Jie, 50, one of Jin's sons.

    Jin does not think that her children are not filial, instead she feels proud that she now lives on her own. Jin earns 1,000 yuan (125 U.S. dollars) a month from leasing her former residence, more than enough to pay the monthly fees of 560 yuan.

    The total of Chinese people over 60 is 143 million, making up 11 percent of the country's total population, according to a report released by the China National Committee on Aging in February this year.

    Currently, the number of traditional families which usually consist of three or more generations is reducing rapidly and families formed by just elderly people and those families with a couple supporting a child and four seniors is rising fast.

    "This poses a challenge to the traditional way in which young generations support their parents and even grandparents," said Wu Yiming, head of the social work research institute of the Nanjing Teachers University.

    China has not set up a complete system for taking care of the elderly whose number has been on rapid rise, Wu said, adding that it was a good idea to support the elderly by leasing their houses.

    In Nanjing, some private businesses have tried to set up homes for the elderly so they can live and enjoy quality services free of charge, under the condition that they hand their houses to the operators for leasing.

    When the seniors pass away, their houses will be possessed by the retirement home operators.

    Some neighborhood communities in Beijing and Shanghai have also made similar attempts to find an effective way for caring for elderly people.

    Lai Ming, head of the science and technology department of the Ministry of Construction, suggested that people could purchase an apartment and get the ownership of the apartment before the age of 60. And after they retire at 60, they can lease their apartment to support their retirement life.

    To many senior Chinese who are deeply influenced by traditional values, it is not easy for them to leave home.

    Jin said, "When I decided to live at the retirement home, my sister-in-law cried for me, saying that I'm pitiful and she criticized my sons for letting me go."

    Many rural elderly people, who make up 65.82 percent of China's total aging population, still adhere to the traditional concept that their children, especially sons, should be responsible for taking care of their parents, said Wang Guoqiang, vice minister in charge of the National Population and Family Planning Commission.

    Actually, being taken care of by children at home is the most satisfactory thing for Chinese seniors, and it is something that is more suitable to the tradition and situation of China, said Li Bengong, an official with the China National Committee on Aging.

    But, Wu with the Nanjing Teachers University, said that people's beliefs change according to the social environment. He said he was sure that more and more people would accept the practice of "leasing houses for retirement life" in future. Enditem