In recent years, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, has focused on developing inclusive elderly care services, improving community-based home-based elderly care service networks, and integrating medical, nursing, and health-care services. Through a model of "support from professional institutions, elderly-friendly renovations, and information technology transformation," the city has continuously promoted the socialization of elderly care services, enhancing the accessibility and convenience of elderly care services, and allowing seniors to enjoy more refined and diverse care.

"Happy Canteen" Opens at Your Doorstep

"Let's go out to eat today!" At 11 a.m. that day, in the fourth living area of the Shijiazhuang Northern Design Institute, 65-year-old Xin Mingzhu, accompanied by her four-year-old grandson and several elderly neighbors, arrived at the community's "Happy Canteen" for lunch.

The "Happy Canteen" is located in the Party and Mass Service Center of the Third Community on Qingyuan Street. In the clean and spacious restaurant, a menu featuring four dishes and a soup, including chicken legs, stir-fried shredded pork, and a large pot dish, is served with steaming rice and steamed buns, all for just 12 yuan. For a more creative option, dumplings and spicy hot pot are also available, prepared on site. "At my age, eating here is both hassle-free and hassle-free!" Xin Mingzhu said with emotion.

After dinner, Xin Mingzhu sent her grandson to play in the children's play area while she chatted with several elderly neighbors. "The food is clean, delicious, and affordable. It's a great place to eat!" said 80-year-old Song Xiuying. Since the "Happy Canteen" opened, she has been dining there regularly, often bringing a portion for her husband, who has difficulty walking. "With the 'Happy Canteen,' we no longer have to worry about food!"

"Residents over 60 in our community make up one-third of the total permanent population. Meeting their elderly care needs is a constant concern for us!" said Lv Kefang, Party Secretary of Qingsan Community. This Party and Mass Service Center, which opened in February 2022, was converted from a dilapidated carport. To address the elderly's dining needs, the community brought in a professional elderly care provider and opened the "Happy Canteen," offering lunch and dinner, with discounts for all residents over 60. "The center also features Party building, cultural, and childcare areas, providing childcare, health and physical therapy, and home-based housekeeping services. Regular cultural and entertainment activities are also organized to fully meet the needs of the elderly," Lv Kefang said.

Not only in Qingsan Community, but across Shijiazhuang City, enjoying a meal at a community-based "Happy Canteen" is no longer a novelty.

In Jianming Residential Area, Chang'an District, Shijiazhuang City, a "Happy Canteen," built with district Party-building and public welfare funds, officially opened in February of this year. Seniors over 60 enjoy discounts, with three meals a day costing only 19 yuan at most, and those over 90 can dine completely free. The restaurant is always packed with seniors. "Since the Happy Canteen opened, my wife and I have eaten three meals a day here. It's much easier than cooking at home," said 72-year-old resident Zhao Shuting.

In recent years, Shijiazhuang City has comprehensively promoted the "Meal Assistance Project," focusing on addressing the difficulty of seniors finding meals. By providing convenient meal assistance services, seniors can enjoy the "taste of happiness" right at their doorstep. To date, Shijiazhuang has built 81 senior dining halls, virtually achieving full coverage of meal assistance services for the elderly in its neighborhoods.

Elderly-friendly renovations bring convenience

The home's floor has been treated with anti-slip treatment, the bed has been equipped with removable handrails and smart bed belts, and the bathroom is equipped with a shower chair and protective mats. Recently, visiting Mr. Liu Liangang's home in Chunfeng 5th Lane, Da'anshe Village, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang City, the thoughtful array of elderly-friendly amenities imbued the room with a warm and inviting touch.

Mr. Liu Liangang, 65, suffers from postoperative hemiplegia due to a cerebral hemorrhage, making his home less mobile. Recently, the Xinhua District Civil Affairs Bureau, acting on his application, completed an elderly-friendly renovation for his home, resolving a long-standing issue for his family.

"My biggest concern used to be his daily routine. Now, there are handrails by the bed and in the bathroom, making it easy to get up, and even the shower has a shower chair. We don't have to worry all the time!" Speaking of the changes the elderly-friendly renovations have brought to their home, Liu Liangang's wife, Sister Wang Shu, gave a thumbs-up.

"It didn't cost us a penny; it was all funded by the government. These changes may seem small, but they're incredibly valuable to us elderly people," Liu Liangang said cheerfully. To ensure the safety of elderly people with special difficulties at home, Shijiazhuang City has actively promoted home-based elderly-friendly renovations in recent years to meet their needs for daily living, rehabilitation, and nursing care.

"Age-friendly renovations are primarily aimed at addressing the inconveniences faced by elderly people in their daily lives and enhancing their convenience and comfort," said Huang Shaohua, Deputy Director of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau. In 2023, Shijiazhuang City will select 5,285 households for age-friendly renovations, focusing on supporting the most basic, most urgent, and most pressing needs of elderly people with special difficulties in their homes.

The renovations will be government-subsidized and include seven basic projects: floor renovations, bedroom renovations, bathroom renovations, and the provision of elderly care products. Additionally, recipients can choose to invest in self-funded age-friendly renovations or products, such as automatic alarms, based on their needs.

Elderly families can independently select renovation projects based on their housing conditions, caregiving capabilities, and actual needs, and voluntarily submit applications to the civil affairs departments of their respective counties (cities, and districts). Once approved, the county-level civil affairs department will commission a professional third-party agency to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the family's living space, the elderly's ability to function, and the family's caregiving capabilities. The agency will then consult and guide the elderly family in selecting the most appropriate renovation plan. After review by the civil affairs department, the plan will be handed over to a third-party professional agency for renovation, construction, and adaptation. "We will establish a renovation file based on the 'one household, one file' principle, ensuring that each household is completed, inspected, and delivered, achieving our annual target by the end of October," said Huang Shaohua.