Why are China young professionals so eager to live in nursing homes? Facilities enable ‘lying flat’ lifestyle at minimal costs

Some individuals consider

• Homes target burned-out professionals in their 20s and 30s
• Many residents are trying to find themselves as their career stall

Retirement homes in China are not just for the elderly, as a new trend has emerged of burned-out professionals seeking a place where they can "retire" extremely early, typically in their 30s.

The facilities embrace lifestyle philosophies such as "Fire" (financial independence, retire early) or "lying flat", the famous Chinese phrase referring to the life approach to do the bare minimum to get by.

The "nursing homes for the youth" are not unique to tier-one cities and can be found in provinces as different as Yunnan and Shandong, in southwestern and eastern China, respectively.

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They tend to focus on the mental well-being of their clients and typically feature bars, cafes and karaoke rooms, offering an outlet for people to socialise, vent and relax.

The Post explains what these "nursing homes" say about the future of China's workforce.

A reset for the 30-somethings

Most residents at these retirement homes are young adults in their 20s and 30s, and it is unlikely they plan to spend decades living in the facilities.

For some, the concept of "retirement" serves only as a temporary retreat, and they view their stay as "gap years" or "gap months" along their career path.

"Some people may wonder why these young people are 'retiring' so early, but many people in their thirties are feeling lost. I was once one of them," said 32-year-old Lu Leilei, who opened a nursing home in Yunnan province, which began operations earlier this year.

At Lu's facility, morning routines begin with coffee at the bar, followed by ba duan jin, a form of qigong, exercises in the courtyard, and a meditation session on the mountain.

Afternoons are spent farming, fishing in the river, and cooking dinner in the communal kitchen.

Evenings unite the community around a bonfire for drinks, conversations, mahjong, and karaoke.

At the entrance, a banner reads: "Please lie down."

Unlike traditional services for the elderly, these retreats are akin to communal homestays, where people work in favour of the common good.

Lu's facility offers 12 bedrooms and charges residents a monthly rent of 1,500 yuan (US$200).

In another youth nursing home in Hebei in northern China, owner Li Xiaolan does not charge the residents but requires them to contribute to the upkeep and development of the house.

By contrast, traditional nursing institutions require a minimum monthly payment that averages 5,000 yuan (US$700), according to Phoenix Weekly.

Also, they obviously would not take young, healthy adults as their residents.

"This is the ideal life for young people," commented one online observer.

"I want to go too! Where's your address?" added another.

Alternatives to the conventional career trajectory

The rising popularity of these homes reflects a broader shift among young Chinese adults seeking alternatives to the conventional career trajectory.

"Since I posted about the youth nursing home online, every day I receive hundreds of DMs and WeChat friend requests, all enquiring about how to move in," Lu shared, surprised by the interest among young people in their "retirement".

Embracing 'Fire' movement

Meanwhile, a growing number of individuals inspired by the "Fire" movement are plotting their path towards permanent retirement in their 30s or 40s.

On the Chinese social media platform Douban, the "Fire lifestyle" group has amassed over 230,000 members.

Originating in the West, this movement was first described in a 1992 book called Your Money or Your Life, which advocates aggressive savings and reliance on investment returns to achieve early resignation.

The surge of interest in this movement in China coincides with the ascent of the "lying flat" trend, which means no overworking and prioritising only the essentials for survival.

While in the West, the "Fire" lifestyle is predominantly pursued by high-net-worth individuals, in countries like South Korea and China, it attracts workers and employees seeking better work-life balance and even unemployed youths.

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

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