Seniors warm to assisted bathing services

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows a senior resident getting into a "Bath Express" vehicle with the help of bath assistants in southwest China's Chongqing, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Wu Yanxia)

TIANJIN/CHENGDU, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Qi Yu has worked as a bathing assistant for the elderly for just two months, but many of her customers already say they are satisfied with her services.

Qi, born after 2000, works at an elderly care and bathing center in the Nanyingmen Street Community in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

Every time Qi helps an elderly person to bathe, she starts by measuring their body temperature, blood oxygen and blood pressure. Then she guides them into the room, puts on some music and gives them a massage before the actual bathing begins.

"The customers who need bathing assistance are generally in a poor physical condition. It would be perilous to be careless," Qi said.

Since the customers have different physical conditions and needs, Qi and other bathing assistants usually need to create tailored bathing plans for them and make prompt adjustments on site.

In her spare time, Qi learns the needs and preferences of the elderly. She even stores suitable light music and plays it for them during bathing.

"Although I have not been engaged in this field for a long time, every time I give them a bath, their smiles make me feel that I am doing something meaningful," Qi added.

Gao Zhanshuang also works at the center, and has been engaged in the aged care services industry for many years.

"The elderly nowadays need more specific and sophisticated services since the aged care service industry has been continuously improved. I have seen an increasing number of elderly customers choose bathing services recently," said Gao.

Zhao Rong, the head of the center, said that the fledgling industry is very promising, but it needs regulation.

"Bathing services for the elderly are of great importance to the dignity and quality of life of old people, and we hope that more young people will get involved," Zhao added.

Yan Yangjunqi, 28, is a bathing assistant based in the city of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. Yan and his colleagues provide door-to-door services for the elderly. He said the number of bathing assistants required on each occasion depends on the physical condition of the elderly person involved.

For example, if there were three assistants, one would be mainly responsible for bathing, the second assistant would talk with the elderly person and pay attention to their condition, and the third one would prepare the hot water and help the customer get in and out of the tub.

The whole process generally takes an hour, with the actual bathing lasting around dozen minutes, Yan said.

"When I was engaged in the industry, many friends could not understand; as most of them thought that bathing the elderly would be hard work," said Yan. "But everybody gets old. What we are doing now may be laying the groundwork for when we get old. And at that time, we may enjoy better services for the elderly."

Considering the privacy of the elderly, Zhou Na, Yan's superior, said she would send videos to the elderly or their children in advance, to help them learn about the services. Zhou said she uses a large towel to cover the customers, while the undressing, showering and dressing is completed under the towel.

The cost ranges from about 200 yuan (about 28.7 U.S. dollars) to over 400 yuan for each bath. All the bathing assistants must go through 10 days of training, including bathing techniques and knowledge of first aid and nursing, ending with an exam, according to Zhou.

Zhou said that many people have consulted her about bathing services for seniors. "The service has a social value and is being recognized by more and more people," Zhou added.