Elder services gain traction in Tonglu

Seniors in a retirement home in Tonglu county, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Caring for seniors has long been a priority for the government of Tonglu, East China's Zhejiang province.

One approach taken by authorities to improve elder services is to upgrade household facilities.

Presently, Tonglu has about 104,500 people aged 60 or older, of whom nearly 70 percent live in rural areas, according to Shentu Lingjie, director of the Elderly Care Service Center of Tonglu Civil Affairs Bureau.

In the past seven years, an average of one out of six insured elderly people aged above 60 has been injured during accidents. The accidents are usually caused by worn-out amenities or the lack of necessary protective items like slide-proof rugs and handrails.

To address the problem, Tonglu launched a campaign to help elderly improve home facilities, with all expenses covered by the government.

In 2021, the upgrading of home facilities for 480 eligible families was completed in the county, with the satisfaction rate among them reaching 98 percent.

In addition, the number of retirement homes and other senior care facilities in Tonglu is also rising steadily.

A senior care staff chats with an elderly in Tonglu county, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]