BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- As China gives private companies more free rein to provide care for its senior citizens, enterprises like Cherish Yearn are optimistic of their prospects.

With the elderly population of 200 million able to afford better lifestyles, companies are springing up to provide far more premium services than can be found in most state-operated nursing homes.

Cherish Yearn, founded in 2005 in Shanghai, has created a membership club for elderly people that allows them to travel between and stay in properties owned by the company. The accommodation is found in several of China's most well-known tourist destinations.

A membership fee of 200,000 U.S. dollars plus service charges allows members to enjoy dining, recreation and healthcare.

Ms. Ru, 78, is a member. "They offer thoughtful services, taking notes on things like our hobbies, our health, and what kind of food we like," she told Xinhua. "They also organize cooking contests, firework displays, and golf outings to help us make friends."

Ru's son-in-law, Zhu Li, said he and his wife bought a membership for Ru so that they can focus more on their careers while she travels in comfort.

"The club represents a new kind of service for China," Zhu said. "I think similar services will become more popular in future as the economy keeps growing. Memberships can also be inherited or transferred to others, so it's kind of like an investment."

In 2008, Cherish Yearn also opened a posh senior care home in Shanghai that it markets as "China's first membership community for elderly people." More than 1,300 senior citizens live in the community's 12 apartment buildings, enjoying support facilities like a gym, hospital, cafeteria and shopping center.