Illustration by Zhou Tao
SHANGHAI, China / Shanghai Daily / December 15, 2008
By Wu Jiayin
"THANKS to the elder care center, we are now living a much more colorful life than before,'' said Chen Yu, 77 and Chen Jiyan, 74.
Both of the two gentlemen are childless and living at home in the neighborhood of Wanhangdu Road in Jing'an District. Chen Yu lives alone while Chen Jiyan lives with his wife. They recently spoke to Shanghai Daily about help for the elderly who live at home and don't have family or enough income to meet their needs.
Like most Chinese old folks, they wouldn't even think of spending the rest of their lives in institutional "homes" for the aged. They use elder care services while living at home in an innovative subscription service. They frequently visit a convenient services center called "Leling Jiayuan'' ("Happy Garden for the Aged'') where they usually have meals, get haircuts, take baths and chat with friends.
Set up last year, the center provides more than 30 services at below-market price for neighborhood people over 60 years old, especially those who are weak and less able to take care of themselves. For example, a set meal priced at 6 yuan (87 US cents) is 1.5 yuan below the market price.
Setting up 30 service centers for the elderly is one creative response of Jing'an District to the city government's call for more services for the elderly who live at home. Over 5,800 elders living at home in the district are taking advantage of home-based services - 7.8 percent of the total population of the elderly, defined as aged 60 and above. About 1,700 older folks receive subsidies for the services. Coverage is expected to expand as the city government improves its welfare system for the elderly.
Shanghai began to develop elder care services for residents as early as 2000. By 2010 the goal is to provide such services to 7 percent of the city's entire elderly population of 3.1 million, with another 3 percent expected to access facilities for the aged. The balance, 90 percent, are expected to be cared for by their children or to take care of themselves.
To encourage old folks in need to subscribe to the service, the district government grants subsidies (part of which comes from the city) ranging from 300 to 500 yuan per month. The amount is based on evaluation of their health status, income and family conditions. The subsidies are given out in "cash" coupons, which can be used to subscribe to government supplied services.
"Before last year, cooking was especially troublesome for me,'' said Chen Yu. Living alone and somewhat distant from the nearest wet market, it took too much time and effort to cook just for himself. "Now, with more time saved from daily chores, especially cooking and cleaning, I have more time to develop my spiritual life,'' he added cheerfully. He is now in charge of a reading club of more than 20 retired elders.
Chen Jiyan is a sports fan and now has more time to watch games on TV. He is also thinking of popularizing Italian bocce ball, a bit like bowling but requiring less physical strength.
The services center is more than just a place for a meal or a haircut.
"It gives me a chance to communicate with other folks. Otherwise I would continue being lonely, sitting alone at home and being afraid of losing the use of language some day,'' said Chen Yu.
Labor of love
Huang Ruiwu, one of the center's two supervisors, took on the job after her retirement from a radio factory. The salary is low, 960 yuan a month (the city's minimum wage) and she gets only one day off a week, but Huang enjoys helping the elderly. "Everyone gets old some day. Their (the elders') today is our tomorrow. It's our responsibility to serve them well,'' said Huang. "And I feel greatly rewarded when so many elders express gratitude for our work.''
The biggest problem, said Huang, is lack of staff. There are only two supervisors and one attendant, so they can't do much more than the basics. "We are the only friends of some lonely elders. They often want us to spend more time chatting, but it's difficult as we have so much work to do," said Huang.
Lack of funding, of course, is another problem. The annual subsidy to each of the 30 service centers is 50,000 yuan, which mainly covers salary, according to Cao Yan, director of the Committee on Aging of Jing'an District. Clearly, the subsidy is too low. Though Cao suggests the district grant higher subsidies to service centers, she acknowledges there won't be a fundamental change until the central government sets up a system specifying standards and subsidy levels for elders with different requirements.
"At present, the subsidy standards for these home-based elder care services are all set by each district. It's too irregular,'' said Cao.
Nonetheless, Jing'an District is ahead of most other districts in Shanghai in making these elder care services more widely available.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Shanghai Daily Publishing House
December 15, 2008
CHINA: Weaving a safety net for old folks at home
.
Illustration by Zhou Tao
SHANGHAI, China / Shanghai Daily / December 15, 2008
By Wu Jiayin
"THANKS to the elder care center, we are now living a much more colorful life than before,'' said Chen Yu, 77 and Chen Jiyan, 74.
Both of the two gentlemen are childless and living at home in the neighborhood of Wanhangdu Road in Jing'an District. Chen Yu lives alone while Chen Jiyan lives with his wife. They recently spoke to Shanghai Daily about help for the elderly who live at home and don't have family or enough income to meet their needs.
Like most Chinese old folks, they wouldn't even think of spending the rest of their lives in institutional "homes" for the aged. They use elder care services while living at home in an innovative subscription service. They frequently visit a convenient services center called "Leling Jiayuan'' ("Happy Garden for the Aged'') where they usually have meals, get haircuts, take baths and chat with friends.
Set up last year, the center provides more than 30 services at below-market price for neighborhood people over 60 years old, especially those who are weak and less able to take care of themselves. For example, a set meal priced at 6 yuan (87 US cents) is 1.5 yuan below the market price.
Setting up 30 service centers for the elderly is one creative response of Jing'an District to the city government's call for more services for the elderly who live at home. Over 5,800 elders living at home in the district are taking advantage of home-based services - 7.8 percent of the total population of the elderly, defined as aged 60 and above. About 1,700 older folks receive subsidies for the services. Coverage is expected to expand as the city government improves its welfare system for the elderly.
Shanghai began to develop elder care services for residents as early as 2000. By 2010 the goal is to provide such services to 7 percent of the city's entire elderly population of 3.1 million, with another 3 percent expected to access facilities for the aged. The balance, 90 percent, are expected to be cared for by their children or to take care of themselves.
To encourage old folks in need to subscribe to the service, the district government grants subsidies (part of which comes from the city) ranging from 300 to 500 yuan per month. The amount is based on evaluation of their health status, income and family conditions. The subsidies are given out in "cash" coupons, which can be used to subscribe to government supplied services.
"Before last year, cooking was especially troublesome for me,'' said Chen Yu. Living alone and somewhat distant from the nearest wet market, it took too much time and effort to cook just for himself. "Now, with more time saved from daily chores, especially cooking and cleaning, I have more time to develop my spiritual life,'' he added cheerfully. He is now in charge of a reading club of more than 20 retired elders.
Chen Jiyan is a sports fan and now has more time to watch games on TV. He is also thinking of popularizing Italian bocce ball, a bit like bowling but requiring less physical strength.
The services center is more than just a place for a meal or a haircut.
"It gives me a chance to communicate with other folks. Otherwise I would continue being lonely, sitting alone at home and being afraid of losing the use of language some day,'' said Chen Yu.
Labor of love
Huang Ruiwu, one of the center's two supervisors, took on the job after her retirement from a radio factory. The salary is low, 960 yuan a month (the city's minimum wage) and she gets only one day off a week, but Huang enjoys helping the elderly. "Everyone gets old some day. Their (the elders') today is our tomorrow. It's our responsibility to serve them well,'' said Huang. "And I feel greatly rewarded when so many elders express gratitude for our work.''
The biggest problem, said Huang, is lack of staff. There are only two supervisors and one attendant, so they can't do much more than the basics. "We are the only friends of some lonely elders. They often want us to spend more time chatting, but it's difficult as we have so much work to do," said Huang.
Lack of funding, of course, is another problem. The annual subsidy to each of the 30 service centers is 50,000 yuan, which mainly covers salary, according to Cao Yan, director of the Committee on Aging of Jing'an District. Clearly, the subsidy is too low. Though Cao suggests the district grant higher subsidies to service centers, she acknowledges there won't be a fundamental change until the central government sets up a system specifying standards and subsidy levels for elders with different requirements.
"At present, the subsidy standards for these home-based elder care services are all set by each district. It's too irregular,'' said Cao.
Nonetheless, Jing'an District is ahead of most other districts in Shanghai in making these elder care services more widely available.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Shanghai Daily Publishing House
Illustration by Zhou Tao
SHANGHAI, China / Shanghai Daily / December 15, 2008
By Wu Jiayin
"THANKS to the elder care center, we are now living a much more colorful life than before,'' said Chen Yu, 77 and Chen Jiyan, 74.
Both of the two gentlemen are childless and living at home in the neighborhood of Wanhangdu Road in Jing'an District. Chen Yu lives alone while Chen Jiyan lives with his wife. They recently spoke to Shanghai Daily about help for the elderly who live at home and don't have family or enough income to meet their needs.
Like most Chinese old folks, they wouldn't even think of spending the rest of their lives in institutional "homes" for the aged. They use elder care services while living at home in an innovative subscription service. They frequently visit a convenient services center called "Leling Jiayuan'' ("Happy Garden for the Aged'') where they usually have meals, get haircuts, take baths and chat with friends.
Set up last year, the center provides more than 30 services at below-market price for neighborhood people over 60 years old, especially those who are weak and less able to take care of themselves. For example, a set meal priced at 6 yuan (87 US cents) is 1.5 yuan below the market price.
Setting up 30 service centers for the elderly is one creative response of Jing'an District to the city government's call for more services for the elderly who live at home. Over 5,800 elders living at home in the district are taking advantage of home-based services - 7.8 percent of the total population of the elderly, defined as aged 60 and above. About 1,700 older folks receive subsidies for the services. Coverage is expected to expand as the city government improves its welfare system for the elderly.
Shanghai began to develop elder care services for residents as early as 2000. By 2010 the goal is to provide such services to 7 percent of the city's entire elderly population of 3.1 million, with another 3 percent expected to access facilities for the aged. The balance, 90 percent, are expected to be cared for by their children or to take care of themselves.
To encourage old folks in need to subscribe to the service, the district government grants subsidies (part of which comes from the city) ranging from 300 to 500 yuan per month. The amount is based on evaluation of their health status, income and family conditions. The subsidies are given out in "cash" coupons, which can be used to subscribe to government supplied services.
"Before last year, cooking was especially troublesome for me,'' said Chen Yu. Living alone and somewhat distant from the nearest wet market, it took too much time and effort to cook just for himself. "Now, with more time saved from daily chores, especially cooking and cleaning, I have more time to develop my spiritual life,'' he added cheerfully. He is now in charge of a reading club of more than 20 retired elders.
Chen Jiyan is a sports fan and now has more time to watch games on TV. He is also thinking of popularizing Italian bocce ball, a bit like bowling but requiring less physical strength.
The services center is more than just a place for a meal or a haircut.
"It gives me a chance to communicate with other folks. Otherwise I would continue being lonely, sitting alone at home and being afraid of losing the use of language some day,'' said Chen Yu.
Labor of love
Huang Ruiwu, one of the center's two supervisors, took on the job after her retirement from a radio factory. The salary is low, 960 yuan a month (the city's minimum wage) and she gets only one day off a week, but Huang enjoys helping the elderly. "Everyone gets old some day. Their (the elders') today is our tomorrow. It's our responsibility to serve them well,'' said Huang. "And I feel greatly rewarded when so many elders express gratitude for our work.''
The biggest problem, said Huang, is lack of staff. There are only two supervisors and one attendant, so they can't do much more than the basics. "We are the only friends of some lonely elders. They often want us to spend more time chatting, but it's difficult as we have so much work to do," said Huang.
Lack of funding, of course, is another problem. The annual subsidy to each of the 30 service centers is 50,000 yuan, which mainly covers salary, according to Cao Yan, director of the Committee on Aging of Jing'an District. Clearly, the subsidy is too low. Though Cao suggests the district grant higher subsidies to service centers, she acknowledges there won't be a fundamental change until the central government sets up a system specifying standards and subsidy levels for elders with different requirements.
"At present, the subsidy standards for these home-based elder care services are all set by each district. It's too irregular,'' said Cao.
Nonetheless, Jing'an District is ahead of most other districts in Shanghai in making these elder care services more widely available.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Shanghai Daily Publishing House
