BEIJING, Dec. 31 -- The Chinese government has released a guideline on enhancing senior care services for people aged 60 and older.

The document, jointly released Tuesday by 24 departments including a national working committee on aging, aims for comprehensive and improved policies and services, a more respectful public environment and more effective implementation by 2015.

The document urges health institutes to set up health profiles for locals over 65 and provide free health checks at least once a year.

Public transportation should designate at least 10 percent of seats for the sick, the disabled, the elderly and the pregnant.

According to the document, elderly support management work will be regulated further by 2020, with more varieties of senior care services and better capacity.

The guideline aimed to address various problems in the country's elderly care system such as vastly different caring standards among provinces, weak government financial support and caring capacities not meeting demands.

Local governments were encouraged to set up their own caring standards and specify target groups in line with the document and local reality.

The document also cited preferential policies and services in government administration, commercial services, and cultural and sports activities, such as free access to museums and galleries.

In addition, it called for more timely and effective handling of public complaints over services for the elderly.

Also on Tuesday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs released a circular urging a pilot reform in state-sponsored care homes that clarifies their functions to improve management and service.

According to the circular, nursing homes will disclose their services details and the senior members' status for public scrutiny and official evaluation.

These nursing homes will increase investment in infrastructure, providing more beds while training staff.

The circular said that state-sponsored care homes that specialize in for-profit services should be transformed into enterprises if conditions permit.