Last year, Yizhang County introduced a new model of elderly care service, in which the government purchases services and private institutions take over operation of public nursing homes. In Meitian Nursing Home, there is a designated person to feed, bath, and dress Tan Pufeng. The old lady is getting better and better.

 

Among 650,000 people in Yizhang County, there are 99,600 elderly people over 60 years old, accounting for about 15.3% of the total population. In recent years, with the aggravation of the aging population, problems concerning the services for the elderly have gradually arisen such as insufficient supply, inadequate service system, and poor service. 

 

Considering the county's geographical location, transportation, public facilities, and medical resources, the original 22 nursing homes were reduced to 4 regional centers for the elderly and 1 center for people with mental disorders.

 

Yizhang County has invested more than 20 million yuan in 2020 to renovate nursing homes. The nursing homes now are equipped with fire and security facilities, nursing beds, rehabilitation assistant devices and living facilities.

 

At the same time, the county adopted multiple ways in support of social forces running nursing homes. At present, the five newly rebuilt nursing homes are all managed by private organizations, and three for-profit nursing homes have been built. There are now 1,671 beds in the county's nursing homes.

 

"Now the nursing homes not only provide better services, but also effectively solve the problems of low occupancy rate, admission of the disabled and semi-disabled people in extreme poverty," said Ouyang Hua, director of Yizhang Civil Affairs Bureau. Yizhang has also set up 186 village-level activity centers for the elderly, 20 rural nursing homes and 15 day care centers in communities to meet the demands of the county's elderly services.