Evaluation of the suitability of elderly care in prefecture-level cities in China based on GIS

The population of China is aging, and the demand for healthy elderly care is expanding. There is an urgent need to develop a market-oriented elderly care industry and cultivate a number of high-quality elderly care bases. The geographical environment is an important condition affecting the health of elderly individuals and the suitability of elderly care. Research on this topic has important guiding significance for the layout of elderly care bases and the choice of elderly care locations. In this study, a spatial fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was conducted to construct an evaluation index system based on the following standard layers: climatic conditions, topography, surface vegetation, atmospheric environment, traffic conditions, economy and population, elderly-friendly urban environments, elderly care service capabilities, and wellness and recreation resources. The index system analyzes the suitability of elderly care in 4 municipalities and 333 prefecture-level administrative regions in China, and development and layout suggestions are proposed. The results show the following: (1) The three concentrated areas with a highly suitable geographical environment for elderly care in China are the Yangtze River Delta, the Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan region and the Pearl River Delta. The areas with the most concentrated unsuitable areas are the southern Xinjiang and Qinghai-Tibet areas. (2) In areas with a geographical environment that is highly suitable for elderly care, high-end elderly care industries can be deployed, and national-level elderly care demonstration bases can be built. Areas with a highly suitable temperature in Central and Southwest China can develop characteristic elderly care bases for people with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Scattered areas with a highly suitable temperature and humidity can develop characteristic elderly care bases for people with rheumatic and respiratory diseases.