For elderly, mobile baths more than getting clean

For many seniors with mobility issues, taking a shower or a bath is a distant luxury, but not for 92-year-old Hangzhou resident Yun Hongzhang.

The Zhejiang provincial capital offers elderly residents a mobile bathing service in the form of a customized van equipped with a thermostatic bathtub, cozy reclining chairs, fully accessible facilities and trained caregivers, which allows some 800 seniors, Yun included, to once again enjoy the pleasure of a bath. Taking a shower is something most people take for granted, but for the elderly, it can be a tricky undertaking. Yun lives in a small apartment in Hemu subdistrict, where around 36 percent of residents are over the age of 60, and many live alone.

He and his wife, Wu Meizhen, live apart from their adult children. Suffering from multiple health conditions, including trembling hands, Yun finds it difficult to bathe himself.

"I use a warm washcloth to wipe his back in the bathroom, which is dim and narrow," explained Wu, 83. "So the mobile bathing service is a great help."

The service dates back to late 2020, when Hemu teamed up with tech company Jiujiu Zhulao in Hangzhou to launch a pilot mobile bathing program to help the elderly maintain personal hygiene, as part of national efforts to promote elderly care services. Li Ting, manager of Jiujiu Zhulao, said that the company spent 400,000 yuan ($58,767) on transforming a recreational vehicle into a mobile bathroom and hired a bathing assistant with a nursing certificate, a health evaluator and a driver.

Before each bath, the elderly client's vital signs are checked, and they are properly covered to protect their dignity. A one-hour bath costs 199 yuan, while a package of 10 sessions costs 999 yuan. Seniors also have access to other services, including haircuts and nail clipping.

For Yu Liya, one of the mobile caregivers, the job is about more than just bathing clients; it is also about spreading a little love and hope. The former barber said that seniors with limited mobility or disabilities are rarely able to take a proper shower or bath at home and usually make do with wiping or sponging themselves down. "We once met a senior who had not had a bath in over a year," the 40-year-old said. "I chat with them, alleviate their concerns. After the bath, they look fresh and relaxed."

The job is not without its challenges. Yu once had trouble helping one elderly client weighing over 200 pounds to take a bath, and has also had to deal with misunderstandings arising from the reluctance some seniors feel about being bathed by a stranger. Still, her passion for the job has not waned. Yu was raised by her grandmother until she was 18. "When she passed away, I wasn't there by her side. I hope that what I'm doing right now will somehow make up for that," she said.

The 264.02 million people aged 60 or above in China－including 190.64 million above the age of 65－make up 13.5 percent of the population, according to data from the seventh national census. Zhejiang is one of the most rapidly aging regions in the country; by 2025, around 28 percent of its population is expected to be aged 60 or older.

While an aging population creates pressures for China, it also has the potential to develop into a "silver economy", in which mobile bathing services could play a part. In 2019, for example, a mobile bath service was also offered in Jiangning district of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province.

In February, China's State Council released a plan for the development of the elderly care system during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), one of the latest steps toward implementing a national strategy to address an aging population. The plan supports a number of different businesses, including mobile baths and in-home bathing services, and the creation of professional bathing assistance organizations for seniors.

Yu believes that mobile bathing will remain in demand. "My husband and daughter fully support me now," Yu said. "We have not turned down a single request in the past two years."