The Ministry of Civil Affairs recently published a public notice listing the proposed nationally demonstrative elderly-friendly communities, with the National Aging Office planning to designate 1,993 communities (villages) as national demonstration elderly-friendly communities. Among them, Songzhangkou Village in Aiyuan Town, Siyang County, was selected.
In recent years, the Songzhangkou Community has focused on the living needs of elderly residents, launching a series of elderly care service measures across multiple areas including housing security, health protection, empowerment for income generation, and service optimization, effectively enhancing the sense of happiness and fulfillment among elderly residents in the area.
In terms of basic guarantees and health services, the community has built 338 housing units, of which 13 "warm-hearted homes" are provided free of charge to elderly residents under the five-guarantee system, effectively addressing the housing needs of special elderly groups. The community has deepened the integration of medical care and elderly care, regularly conducting awareness campaigns on fraud prevention and chronic disease management for the elderly, and providing special assistance to elderly individuals in difficulty through home visits for medical treatment and medicine delivery, free blood pressure checks, health consultations, and haircut services. Additionally, the community has established a "Home-Based Elderly Care Service Center" and a "Workstation for Persons with Disabilities," and has partnered with the county elderly care center to provide customized medical and elderly care services covering daily care, fitness and leisure, and other diverse needs.
To help elderly residents stay active and fulfilled in their later years, the community has established 12 peach orchard bases through internal development and external partnerships, developed a "peach fruit plus e-commerce" model with supporting service centers, broadened sales channels for elderly residents' agricultural products, and provided over 100 employment positions. Regular "smart technology assistance for the elderly" initiatives are carried out to strengthen training in intelligent technology and provide remote services. Furthermore, the community has taken the lead in establishing the "Aiyuan Folk Music Ensemble" to perform in villages, and has organized calligraphy, chess, and other competitions to enrich the spiritual and cultural lives of elderly residents.
Next, the Songzhangkou Community will aim to build an upgraded version of a beautiful countryside, continuously improving construction mechanisms, promoting the quality and efficiency of elderly care services, and enabling elderly residents to share in the fruits of development and enjoy a better and more secure later life.
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Elderly-friendly communities are livable communities built around the needs of elderly people as part of implementing the national strategy for actively responding to population aging. Communities promote age-friendly renovations of living environments and public spaces, improve barrier-free facilities, and optimize travel conditions. They provide supporting elderly care services such as health care, meal assistance, and regular visits to help elderly people bridge the digital divide. At the same time, they build platforms for cultural and sports activities, encourage elderly people to participate in community governance, and foster a social atmosphere of respecting and caring for the elderly, comprehensively meeting the needs of elderly residents in housing, travel, health, and cultural participation, and continuously enhancing their sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security.