Local community leads way in serving seniors

HANGZHOU, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Sitting in her cozy apartment, Zhou Jihua, 86, gently touched the sleek black wristband on her arm. "This little device helped me a lot," she said.

Early this year, when she suddenly fainted, a simple press of the red SOS button on her wristband brought help to her door within minutes.

The smart wristband is part of the decades-long journey of Cuiyuan No. 1 Community, a neighborhood in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, to improve the lives of local elderly residents.

In 2002, the community took its first steps toward supporting its senior residents with charmingly low-tech solutions. Volunteers partnered with the elderly living alone, providing them with yellow ribbons and small red lights.

If people needed help, mostly simple things like changing light bulbs, they could hang the yellow ribbon on the balcony during the day or use the red light at night, Zhou recalled. Zhou had served as a volunteer herself after retirement, taking routine patrols in the neighborhood and knocking on people's doors to offer help.

In 2016, a full-coverage surveillance camera system was introduced around the neighborhood, enabling monitoring staff to identify emergencies in public areas.

Today, smart wristbands distributed to over 2,200 seniors aged 60 and above represent the latest iteration of this care system. These devices, equipped with an SOS button and health monitoring capabilities, connect directly to a 24-hour community monitoring center and emergency contacts. They also track vital signs and alert medical personnel in case of anomalies.

"Our commitment to caring for the elderly has been consistent, but our methods have evolved with technology. From yellow ribbons to smart wristbands, we've come a long way," said Xiang Feifei, Party chief of the community.

This dedication mirrors China's efforts to improve elderly care services. With over 290 million people aged 60 and above by the end of 2023, over 21 percent of the total population, the country faces pressing challenges in meeting diverse senior needs.

A Ministry of Civil Affairs survey reveals that 22.1 percent of elderly individuals require meal assistance services, making it a critical aspect of home-based care. In response, the ministry, along with other government bodies, released an action plan in October 2023 to significantly increase the coverage of meal assistance services across the country by the end of 2025.

Cuiyuan No. 1 Community has been at the forefront of this initiative. In 2003, it established Zhejiang's first senior canteen, which had undergone three major upgrades over the years. Today, it spans 220 square meters, accommodating around 50 diners and offering a variety of affordable meal options. The canteen now features a smart digital system that provides personalized meal recommendations based on individual health needs.

Chen Quanfu, who has dined at the canteen daily for over 15 years, said, "From the changes in the canteen, I've witnessed the community's dedication."

Earlier this month, over 300 measures were unveiled at a key plenum of the Communist Party of China leadership to push for deeper comprehensive reform, pledging to develop community-based facilities to improve the supply of basic elderly care services.

"Our goal has always been to address the most immediate concerns of our senior residents," Xiang said. "We're constantly looking for ways to improve their quality of life."