BEIJING: Taking a simple shower or bath is a luxury for some elderly people, especially those with disabilities. That is why seniors in Southwest China’s Chongqing are pleased with the emergence of a mobile bathing service, which has brought them comfort and dignity.
Liu Juchuan, an 80-year-old veteran with mobility issues, seldom took baths before the service was offered. His aging wife also struggles to get around, and their children don’t live with them. Liu said they prefer to wait until their children visit to help them or just take quick showers rather than risk injury in a wet bathroom.
The couple’s problems were solved three years ago, when a mobile bath van started to frequent their community in the city’s Jiulongpo district. “We feel so happy to have such service,” a beaming Liu said.
During an inspection tour of an elder care service center in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Aug 17, President Xi Jinping said that as Chinese society ages, elder care programs and relevant industries should be vigorously developed, and related facilities should be built in areas with adequate conditions.
A report delivered by Xi to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on Oct 16 stressed that China must pursue a proactive national strategy in response to its aging population, develop elder care programs and services and provide better services for elderly people who live alone.
–The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
