Arthur Kleinman, the US medical anthropologist, said China and the US should learn from each other's elder-care systems to deal with ageing populations. He said the US could draw on China's long-term care insurance system, while China could study US nursing home models. [1]
Speaking in an interview on 2026-03-31, Kleinman said longer lives are creating social strains that societies have not faced before. "We have never had societies with such a large number of people living into the old age period," he said. [1]
He pointed to a demographic shift that will reshape health and social policy by 2050. By then, nearly 30% of China's population and about 40% of Japan's population will be over 65, while more than 20% of Americans will be in that age group. [1]
Kleinman said the challenge is not only medical but social, as longer life spans are arriving without clear social roles for many older people. He is widely regarded as a founding figure in modern medical anthropology, with work that has focused on the loss of empathy among doctors during training and care. [1]
At 85, Kleinman said he plans to retire this year. [1]
