Elderly get good deal at community cafeteria

"We welcome them to the canteen to eat and spend time with friends. For people with trouble commuting, volunteers will deliver meals to people's homes," she said.

The cafeteria also offers the elderly a variety of recreational activities, such Chinese calligraphy, painting and mobile phone tutorials, she said. And there's a separate room for grandchildren.

Wei Xiaokun, 82, who lives nearby, comes to the cafeteria often to eat with his wife.

"Apart from the food, we also need the exercise of commuting and like to talk with neighbors and friends," Wei said.

He has also learned how to use a mobile phone and Chinese calligraphy from volunteer instructors.

There are 528 such cafeterias in Fuzhou, serving around 610,000 elderly people, according to the local government.