Advisers seek better lives for senior citizens

Political advisers focused on improving lives of senior citizens when they met with Party leaders and government officials yesterday.

Shen Boyong, a member of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee and a doctor at Ruijin Hospital suggested the government give full play to resident doctors trained in local hospitals.

"Treatment and prevention are both important for citizens over 60, 33 percent of the whole population of Shanghai," he said. "We have 10,000 resident doctors trained at local hospitals every year. If they spend one to three months in nursing homes, they can not only improve the health of the people, but also practice their own communication skills."

Li Huiping, another adviser and doctor, said resident doctors can be deployed into communities to educate people.

"Many old people are very worried, and head to hospitals again and again. But if we have some professionals, like resident doctors, tell them the truth repeatedly and give them advice on their problems, they will live at ease and spare more public medical resources for others."

Wang Cheng, another political adviser, said Shanghai needs more rehabilitation services as about 510,000 senior residents in Shanghai hold disability certificates.

"There are three rehabilitation therapists for every 100,000 people in Shanghai, far behind the levels in developed countries," he said. "There are only six schools training therapists and they only produce 300 graduates each year."

Chang Zhaohui, vice general manager of the Shanghai branch of China Telecom, said information technology can improve the quality and efficiency for senior care.

He said his company had developed a smart device that can monitor doors, gas leaks and other hazards.

"It can also monitor the movement of residents," he said. "If there is no movement in the house for as much as four hours, the device will send out an alarm. We have installed some 600 in the Pudong New Area and Changning District and they are all working well."