Abstract:

China’s aging population phenomenon is characterized by its significant scale, rapid growth, substantial variations across regions, and remarkable stability. Health issues among the elderly are becoming prominent and spreading to the societal development level, making the health risks of an aging society an urgent and crucial governance issue. Considering the ineffectiveness of traditional governance models, there is a need to introduce resilience governance to respond quickly, proactively and effectively, to risk shocks and challenges. In the context of rapid population aging and the prominence of health problems in the elderly, the core risk of an aging society is related to the many health problems these older adults face. These multidimensional risks result in high uncertainty, loss, and complexity to the sustainable development of the population and society. Therefore, resilience governance should achieve resilience in the elderly. Its guiding principles must emphasize whole-population, whole-life-cycle, dynamic adaptation, and categorized management, through comprehensive process management and collaborative efforts among multiple stakeholders. The aim should be to prevent, mitigate, and resolve the health risks and their consequences. Looking ahead, China must adopt a global and interdisciplinary perspective in governing the health risks associated with its aging society, and thereby contribute its unique experiences to the global discourse on promoting healthy aging.

Key words: aged society, health risks, resilience governance, longevity dividend, healthy aging