Objective  To examine the demand on combined medical and elderly care services and its influencing factors among elderly residents in Shenzhen city and to provide references for establishing institutions providing the services.

  Methods  Using stratified isometric random sampling, we recruited 2 414 permanent residents aged ≥ 60 years from 222 communities in 10 administrative districts of Shenzhen city and conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey among the residents during October – December 2017.

  Results  Of the 2 376 participants with valid response, 839 (35.31%) reported the need for combined medical and elderly care services. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the participants employed by government agencies, public institutions and enterprises before retirement were more likely to have the need for combined medical and elderly care service; while those with the education of junior high school and below, being farmers before the age of retirement, having an average monthly income of ≤ 4 999 yuan (RMB), with the preference for home- or community-based elderly care, and selecting subsidy as a compensation for elderly care were less likely to have the need for the service.

  Conclusion  The reported demand on combined medical and elderly care services is at a low level and mainly influenced by education, occupation before retirement, average monthly income, and preference for elderly care pattern and mode of compensation for elderly care among community elderly in Shenzhen city.