Eldercare comes to doorsteps of rural elderly in southwest China

CHONGQING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- In a vast swathe of fields embellished with blossoms, a red motorcycle sped along, adding brightness and vigor to the dazzling spring scenery.

Li Jiuquan, the 54-year-old motorcyclist, was on the way to visit an elder and provide a set of services.

As a member of a service group that takes care of rural disadvantaged elderly who mostly don't have offspring and lack financial gains, Li's main job is to visit each elder once a month and help them with haircuts and mani-pedis, or just chat.

Living alone in Yongle Village, Qijiang District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Xu Wenzhi, 62, is always happy when he sees Li coming.

"Without him, I need to walk miles to the barber's shop which is exhausting. He makes things easier, and I also have someone to talk to," said Xu, who suffers from lung disease and has no children.

As disadvantaged elders can receive a monthly subsidy of over 800 yuan (about 125.7 U.S. dollars) and have no worries about food and clothes, the rural eldercare service needs to shift its focus from material needs to psychological ones, said Chen Li, vice director of Qijiang Civil Affairs Bureau.

Hence, the service group was established in January 2021 under the guidance of the bureau to give companionship to the elderly who chose to live on their own rather than go to government-funded nursing homes.

After 40 minutes, Li clocked in on an app and documented his services. Although there are 18 categories of services, Li normally does more for over 100 elders he has tended to, such as celebrating their birthdays and helping them buy daily necessities.

Li does not consider the job troublesome but feels more than happy to help. Unlike previous jobs he has undertaken in big cities, rural eldercare service allows him to work in his hometown and "find a sense of belonging and fulfillment."

"I feel more emotionally bonded with my hometown and I found a balance between work and family," said Li. His monthly salary is over 3,000 yuan and the job provides him with welfare as well.

There are more than 80 staff in the service group now. All of them are local residents, and some are even couples or siblings. Their cooperation makes the services more efficient.

Chen found another benefit of this service group. "During service, elders are willing to share life difficulties with service staff. Therefore, the service can be a good window for the government to address elders' concerns."

From January 2021 to February 2022, Qijiang District has provided 57,000 times of services for more than 5,000 rural disadvantaged elders, according to data released by the bureau.