China now has about 9.4 million disabled elderly people, affecting daily lives of tens of millions families, a senior official from nation's Civil Affair Ministry said Friday.

Wang Zhenyao, director of social welfare and philanthropy promotion office from the ministry revealed the number when attending the China-Europe Forum held in Tianjin.

He said there are about 1.9 million disabled elderly living in the city and 7.5 million in rural areas.

The nation also has more than 18.9 million less disabled old people, he said.

Disabled elderly, or frail elderly, refers to the old persons who can not take care of themselves in daily lives and depend totally on others' helps.

Wang said as the development of modern society and economy grows, common family shoulders less responsibility of supporting for the elderly.

This functional degradation of the modern family should be compensated by social welfare system, targeting services for the old particularly. However, the country is in long-term lack of nursing institutions and staffs, Wang said.

To provide basic cares for the disadvantaged group, Wang said the government should give monthly old allowance to the elderly over 80 years old and further promote the nursing allowance system across the nation.

He also suggested local government makes investigations on the local frail elderly people, establish institutions with long-term nursing services for them.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2009)