Government News
Shanghai working hard to become more senior-friendly 2024-08-16
Shanghai is stepping up efforts on the improvement of senior services via the renovation of public restrooms and transport to become more senior-friendly.
In some senior homes, Internet medical services are combined with nursing services.
Serving as a model for community-level senior homes, the No.1 elderly welfare home in Putuo's Zhenru Subdistrict not only provides hardware facilities, but also strives to deliver the best in soft services and psychological care.
To ensure timely care for the elderly, the home implements online medical programs and offers comprehensive health-care services in general medicine, internal medicine, and specialized care.
A one-click registration machine at the senior home in Putuo's Zhenru Subdistrict.
Via the Internet and a one-click registration machine, elderly residents can access online medical consultation, medication prescriptions, and follow-up visits.
"Elderly individuals, whose physical functions are gradually declining, can directly contact online services to address physical or psychological discomforts. This allows them to receive the best care promptly," said Zhu Jun, deputy secretary of the local neighborhood's Party committee.
With a total of 408 beds, the occupancy rate at the home has reached 75 percent. Based on its existing facilities and services, a community-level senior-care center was set up at the home, which offers day-care services and has cafeterias, activity rooms, gyms, and medical facilities, mainly to serve elderly people living alone and others who need temporary short-term care.
More of these centers will be built and more elderly-caring professionals trained in Shanghai, according to the city's civil affairs bureau.
The city is planning 40 elderly-care service centers in neighborhoods, with 22 completed, and 30 community cafeterias (24 completed) within the year.
A dementia care area at the home includes facilities such as a cognitive training room and a physical rehabilitation room.
In addition to senior homes, more than 50 percent of public toilets are being renovated to benefit the elderly.
"We plan to upgrade 1,200 public toilets toward the goal of senior-and-children-friendly within the year," said Song Gang, head of the public toilet management department at the environment quality monitoring center affiliated to the bureau.
Facilities, involving safety handrails, anti-collision strips and emergency call buttons, have been installed in most public toilets.
"We widened the width of the doors and paths which is more friendly to wheelchairs, especially electric ones," Song said.
Elderly residents engage in games and enjoy fun and quizzes during rehabilitation.
The city has around 2,900 public toilets, and 227 of them had been renovated by last year.
"As of the end of last month, about 733 restrooms have finished renovation, and all the eligible public toilets will be done by the end of next year," Song said.
"And at least one sitting toilet is available in each of the restrooms."
Wheelchairs and walking sticks are available at the public toilet on Baiyu Road in Putuo District.
Some public restrooms also have a real-time screen to show which toilets are in use, which are free and how many sitting toilets there are.
"The information on this screen shows clearly about the usage of the restroom, which is very convenient" said a 75-year-old woman, surnamed Xia, at the public restroom on Baiyu Road.
There are also wheelchairs, walking sticks and walking aids at the restroom.
"We also provide disposable underwear for those in need." Said He Xiling, administrator of public toilet on Baiyu Road.
At least one sitting toilet is available in each public toilet.
The city is also planning public transport renovations to help the elderly.
Some 100 bus stops will become more senior-friendly with wider waiting areas and safer barrier-free facilities by the end of the year.
"The width of waiting area at those bus stops will be widened from 1 meter to 1.5 meters," said Wang Yixiang, deputy chief of Shanghai Transportation Commission's passenger traffic department.
"The non-motorized vehicle lanes next to the platform are also covered with colored asphalt and equipped with warning signs."
As of now, 44 of them have been completed, and another 28 stations are under construction.
A screen displays real-time information at the public restroom on Baiyu Road, along with the temperature, humidity and PM2.5 index.
A bus driver lowers a ramp for an elderly passenger.
Currently, there are 8,505 buses in the city with barrier-free facilities, accounting for 49.24 percent.
About 490 bus lines are equipped with accessible functional facilities at stops.
By the end of last year, almost all Shanghai's Metro stations had been equipped with barrier-free elevators, according to the authorities.
Shanghai is one of China's first aging cities. The number of people aged 60 and up reached 5.42 million by the end of 2021, accounting for 36.3 percent of permanent residents, up from 36.1 percent in 2020.
Barrier-free signs are highlighted at the renovated bus stop.
An elderly citizen and her companion use the special lane with barrier-free ramps at Gonghexinglu-Wenxilu bus stop.
Source: Shanghai Daily
Application Status
| 04-16 | 21315227 | Processing |
| 03-12 | 21315226 | Processing |
| 09-26 | 21315225 | Processing |
Inquiry Status
| 02-29 | 02131558 | Received |
| 03-06 | 02131557 | Received |
| 11-14 | 02131556 | Received |
FAQ
Q: Q: Is there a place where I can get...
A: A: Log on to http://touch.shio.gov....
A: A: Log on to http://touch.shio.gov....
Q: Q: What is the easiest way to set u...
A: A: 1. Log on to http://touch.shio.g...
A: A: 1. Log on to http://touch.shio.g...
Q: Where can I get an English map of S...
A: English maps of Shanghai are availa...
A: English maps of Shanghai are availa...
