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Your report, “China’s state agencies are hiring retirees as the workforce rapidly ages” (July 19), highlights an intriguing response to one of Asia’s defining demographic challenges. China’s universities, hospitals and government agencies are discovering something societies often forget: retirement from a job does not necessarily mean retirement of one’s usefulness.

As a physician who has spent decades in medicine, I see ageing differently from the conventional calendar. Chronological age tells us how many birthdays someone has celebrated; functional age tells us what that person can still contribute.