BEIJING — On an early morning in August, a woman surnamed Li was waiting at the entrance of a top-tier hospital in Beijing for a hired medical escort who would provide her with the help needed during her hospital visit that day.

With her children living in other cities, 65-year-old Li, who has difficulty moving around, has come to rely on such professional services and has used them several times as they help her navigate the many procedures of seeking medical treatment at the hospital. "The procedures are complicated. I simply can't manage it myself."

Li's case is not unique. A woman surnamed Wang, who lives and works in Beijing, said hiring medical escorts for her parents is a serious need. "Both of my parents are over 80 years old. Because my siblings and I are all busy at work most of the time, we need to hire medical escorts for our parents when they need to see a doctor."

As Li received help from her escort at the Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing, a nursing aide at a local hospital in East China's Shandong province was helping a patient turn over, drink water and stay calm in the hospital ward — tasks that once fell to family members.

The rise in demand for medical escorts and nursing aides across various cities is part of a service industry that has been rapidly gaining traction in China in recent years, giving rise to the so-called "companion economy".

This demand has in part been driven by an aging population. By the end of 2024, citizens aged 60 and above had reached over 300 million, accounting for nearly 22 percent of the country's total population. Almost half of them live alone without children immediately nearby, according to official data.

"Older patients often struggle with digital registration, multi-step medical procedures, and navigating large hospitals," said Xu Jianzhong, executive president of the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service.

A 2025 report launched by the association revealed that more than 80 percent of home-dwelling seniors lack timely family assistance during hospital visits. Against such a backdrop, Xu observed that medical escort services have transitioned from peripheral demand to rigid demand over the years.

Beyond medical escorts, companion care is also filling gaps in daily life support. With around 35 million disabled elderly people — a number expected to rise to 58 million by 2050 — the need for professional at-home and institutional care is surging in the country.

At the other end of the spectrum, young people in China are also embracing paid companionship to meet their emotional and recreational needs. Online advertisements for companion services had in fact appeared years ago across social platforms, offering a range of emotional support services, from chatting and exercising to dining and museum visits.

Major tech platforms, such as JD.com, Meituan and Alibaba, have entered the functional companionship market, offering structured services like elder escorting and nursing care.

As paid companionship is reshaping how people seek help and connect in a society with diversified needs, it is nurturing a companion economy expected to reach a market size of 50 billion yuan ($7 billion) by the end of 2025, according to an estimate by Sinolink Securities.

But as platform models enable rapid scaling, service quality control, as well as potential risks and trust issues, remain challenges to the development of the companion economy, analysts say. The low entry barrier and lack of regulations mean there is potentially false advertising, poor services and privacy leaks, leaving users vulnerable.

Efforts to standardize these services, particularly medical escort services, are underway. In May, the CASWSS released a systematic set of standards for elderly hospital escort services covering service processes, safety guidelines, personnel training and complaint mechanisms.

In big cities such as Beijing, Wuhan and Shanghai, a number of elder care service institutions have established comprehensive standards for medical escort and nursing services. By combining personnel training, qualification reviews, feedback mechanisms and digital tracking, these organizations aim to enhance service quality and accountability.

"Caregiving isn't just about helping with meals or movement. It requires professional knowledge," said Wang Shuxia, head of the China Home Service Association.

Xinhua