China’s ‘temporary children’ industry is worth $7.4 billion: Why elderly parents are hiring companions for hospital visits, meals, and emotional support
By now, as reported by Reuters, with numbers from Sinolink, it’s estimated to be worth $7.4 billion: a number that signals how seriously China is aging, but also how rapidly both society and expectations have changed in just a few decades. In Beijing, 91-year-old Yang found herself totally isolated after her husband died and her eyesight began to go. Take another client: 75-year-old Zheng Ruizhi. By the end of 2025, China expects more than 320 million people aged 60 or older, about a quarter of the population. By 2035, that number could clear 400 million.
Because she had nobody else, she said she ended up talking to her TV. Because it comes with clearly defined expectations, unlike ordinary friendships, associate Professor Teresa Kuan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong told the BBC that paid companionship offers a more predictable relationship. Because someone genuinely cares about you, not just because you are their 2 p.m. appointment, but there’s something deeply human about wanting to be looked after. Relationships need ongoing effort, like calls, visits, and connection, so that when parents eventually need help, there’s real closeness, not just a hotline for hired care.
Responsible companies have introduced screening, training, and supervision, but this is still an evolving field, and clear professional standards are just beginning to take shape.
That’s where the “companionship economy” comes in. So, who are these “temporary children”? Some, like Wang Yingwei, whose family experience motivated him, started teams that approach every one of these clients as “community parents,” as reported by the BBC. Now, regular visits from her “temporary child” fill that empty space with conversation and trust. Now, this “companionship economy,” which is the $7.4 billion business, has taken loneliness and spun it into a service. There’s structure: visits happen at set times, the companion is focused, and seniors know they won’t be brushed aside because someone’s “too busy” this week. Some have turned to services like Time Bank in Suzhou, which lets families “share” reliable companions for elderly loved ones. Teaching independence is great, but seeing family as “replaceable” the moment kids move out is dangerous. That said, outsourcing help isn’t always a sign of neglect. That said, paid “children” have their limits.
Picture this: the people who spent decades raising kids, guiding them through every milestone, are now, in their later years, forking over money to strangers for the same kind of everyday help and warmth they used to give. It sounds upside down, and honestly, it’s a bit heartbreaking, too. But in China, this reversal is fueling a growing, unusual industry. Across cities, more and more elderly people are enlisting so-called “temporary children. These aren’t relatives, but paid companions, usually young adults, who stop by with meals, go along to doctor’s appointments, handle everyday errands, and just hang out, making sure their older clients aren’t lonely. This shift speaks volumes about the complicated realities of modern China. Families simply aren’t what they used to be. People grow up and move away for work, often to other cities or even across the country. Jobs demand more time, and adult kids are squeezed between looking after their own families and helping aging parents back home. So, the once-solid idea that caring for elders is a family affair is quietly crumbling. Fewer children are born, migration is intense, and even as everyone’s living longer, loneliness is creeping up. The old rule that grown kids will always be there to pitch in just doesn’t hold up for a huge chunk of the population anymore. And what do they actually do? The job is bigger than people might think. It’s not just showing up to chat. These companions take over the sorts of tasks any grown child might help with. Everything changed when a local delivery group started dropping by with hot meals twice a day. Soon, they were helping her fix things around the house, change water filters, and generally picking up all the little pieces of life she couldn’t handle alone. The people doing this work put a lot of heart into it, too. They aim to bridge the old-fashioned gap between neighborliness and true familial care. And the benefits run deep. Her son lives hours away, and her own social circle faded after she retired. It’s more than just company, too. Some companions help negotiate the chaos of hospitals, going along to check-ins, sorting out paperwork, picking up medication. For seniors overwhelmed by bureaucracy and confusing hospital corridors, having a reliable helper makes all the difference. You can trace much of it to policy and population change. The one-child policy, in place for decades, left many families with just a single adult child: not two, not three, just one, to care for both parents. Fast-forward, and those only children often have kids of their own, demanding jobs, and less bandwidth to help full-time, especially if they now live far away. Add to that a wave of youth migration; young adults leave hometowns for opportunity, leaving parents behind. Even with technology, like video calls and messaging, it’s just not the same as being able to walk across the street for a check-in or bring over a home-cooked meal. And the numbers are staggering. At the same time, there’s a growing shortage of professional eldercare workers — millions fewer than needed. So, families aren’t suddenly cold or uncaring; it’s just that the old ways of caring can’t stretch far enough anymore. You can hire someone for anything these days: walks, meals, travel, even for company at social events. In the case of elderly clients, the line between service and emotional anchor is especially thin. For some, regular visits are a lifeline, a reason to talk, step outside, and feel seen. Still, the arrangement raises questions about whether affection and family-like relationships can be commodified. And yet, it’s hard to ignore the uncomfortable questions. Can a paid relationship really fill the shoes of family? Some researchers argue that it actually provides a more stable, predictable relationship than a friendship, since both sides know what to expect. Looking at the wider picture, this new industry is forcing people to rethink what it means to parent, and to age. Traditionally, the expectation was simple: you raise your kids, then one day, they look out for you. But who helps when your only child can’t swing by or when life simply gets too complex? There’s also something cautionary here, especially for parents raising kids now. Sometimes, bringing in outside support is what makes quality care possible, especially across long distances or busy workweeks. Without it, some parents might simply be left alone. They can offer comfort, routine, and support, but can’t fully match decades of shared history and the unique bond between parent and child. There are also real risks: giving companions access to personal documents, finances, or just private time makes trust crucial.
Families today face a real balancing act: juggling kids, careers, and aging parents.
It’s pushing for more community-based care, planning that by 2030, most urban and rural neighborhoods will have centers for mutual-aid eldercare: meals, check-ins, emergency help, all woven together through local networks of volunteers, professionals, and neighbors. The Chinese government sees the writing on the wall, too. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.