DAY care centers for the elderly that prove unpopular should be converted into nursing homes, a political adviser to the government was quoted as saying by the Shanghai Morning Post yesterday.

Shanghai has more than 300 such facilities and some of them are poorly attended, so authorities should pay for them to be redeveloped, the report said.

A woman surnamed Qu who visits a day care center in Hongkou District was quoted as saying that she although she likes the place, it welcomes only “healthy” people.