The number marked an increase of 8,812 people, or 2.64 percent, from the year earlier level, with the number of seniors as a percentage of the city’s population rising to a record high of 11.96 percent.

The city’s aging index — the number of people 65 and over per every 100 people aged under 15 — stood at 74.43 percent as of the end of 2007.

City government officials said that in order to cope with the obvious greying of the city’s population, the government has been implementing measures to improve the welfare and services for senior citizens.

In 2007, the city government provided 193,607 household services and 41,038 daycare services to the elderly and issued gift money to 222,120 seniors, the officials said.

In addition, 7,229 seniors took part in activities organized by the city government for the elderly in 2007, while 917 seniors participated in 14 elderly volunteer service teams set up by the city government, they added.

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