Elderly care in Ulaanqab: A pillar for a happy senior life

A group of domestic and international journalists and influencers were invited to visit Inner Mongolia recently.

Arriving in Ulaanqab on June 16, they visited the Pingdiquan Elderly Care Center in Pingdiquan town, where they learned about the elderly care services there.

A foreign journalist visits the Pingdiquan Elderly Care Center. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The center used to be an elderly community where senior people lived together, with government-invested public canteens and dormitories. The younger residents volunteered to take care of the older ones, forming reciprocal bonds without blood ties. 

It was transformed and upgraded into an elderly care center in 2022. With a range of senior care facilities and supporting services, it became a pilot and flagship project in Ulaanqab.

Innovative measures were taken to enhance the well-being of residents. The "filial piety card" was rolled out to encourage residents' children to take care of their parents. If the children topped up their parents' filial piety card with 100 yuan($13.8), their parents would earn one point. These points can be used to buy things at the service center, while the seniors can pay with the card in the canteen.

Some elderly people were playing cards in the 56-square-meter hall when the journalists arrived. To enrich residents' life after retirement, the center also plans to invite Ulaan Mochir, a renowned Mongolian music and dance group, to perform for the residents. 

Media tour visits the elderly individuals. [Photo provided to China Daily]

At the clinics, residents can measure their blood pressure and body temperature, and see doctors. For those with limited mobility, they can enjoy home services.

The dormitories were also specially designed for the aged group. Each room has three beds and an independent bathroom. A button was installed near every bed for them to call the staff in case of emergency.  

Ulaanqab had over 1.6 million residents by the end of 2023. Among them, over 400,000 are over 65 years old, accounting for 25.1 percent of the total residents, making elderly care an important focus of the city.

The media tour, hosted by the State Council Information Office and organized by the Information Office of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Government, will last from June 16 to 23.

The journalists will visit places such as Ulaanqab, Ordos and Hohhot to witness the development of Inner Mongolia from various perspectives, including environmental protection, cultural tourism and people's livelihood.