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Some elderly people who have the ability to take care of themselves are at higher risk of living alone because of underlying diseases, chronic diseases, or old age. How to solve the pension problem of these elderly people? Jimusar County, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang is actively exploring and building 12 rural mutual aid and happiness homes one after another, allowing the elderly who can take care of themselves to help each other, enriching their spiritual life, and improving their sense of gain and happiness.
　　
Jimusar County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has more than 580 households with more than 900 rural left-behind, empty-nest, and lonely elderly people. The local area has explored a rural mutual-aid elderly care model, integrating more than 60 million yuan in funds to build 12 rural mutual-aid welfare homes, covering 8 In 27 villages and towns, elderly people living alone who are able to take care of themselves help each other and provide care for each other. They communicate smoothly, care for each other, have rich activities, and live a warmer life, which increases the elderly people's sense of gain and happiness.
　　Moved into Xingfu Courtyard
Everyone helps each other
Li Youmei, an elderly woman in her 90s from Yejiahuxia Village, Ergong Town, Jimusar County, originally took care of herself at her younger son's home in the county. But my children are not young anymore, and they each have grandchildren. “They have their own things to do, and they have to take care of their grandchildren when they have free time. It’s inevitable that I’m alone at home, and the building doesn’t have an elevator, so it’s always inconvenient. .
Li Youmei heard that a mutual aid home was built in the town. Each elderly household has its own independent bedroom, living room, and kitchen. They can live according to their own habits and “live together but eat differently.” Li Youmei moved from her son's home to the mutual aid home. “I can still cook by myself. I can cook whatever I want and eat whenever I want. When I have a headache or a fever and feel uncomfortable, my neighbors will bring food to my door,” Li Youmei said.
“Originally I didn't agree with the elderly living here, but I couldn't resist my mother.” Huang Guozhen, an 83-year-old man who lives in Liuhudi Village, moved into a mutual aid home three years ago. His eldest son Fu Chao's attitude gradually changed, “As long as I have time, Come and take a look. Now she feels that living here is just like home. There are people to chat with her, and her life is more comfortable than at home.
In rural areas, because people live in scattered areas, the elderly have no one to help them in emergencies, leaving their children to worry the most. But in the mutual aid home, almost every house has its door open during the day, and is surrounded by familiar neighbors. Members of the hospital committee also visit regularly. In case of emergencies, you can contact the doctor in time.
Last year, Li Youmei fell down in the corridor. Someone helped her, someone helped contact her children, and someone helped call the hospital. “If we were living at home and we went out to work, we would be really confused. No, I went home to recuperate for a while, and then insisted on moving back after getting better.” said his daughter-in-law Yang Peiqing.
Last fall, the elderly residents of Laotaixiang Mutual Aid Home found that their neighbor Xu Zuozhang had not gone out in the morning. They leaned against the window and took a look. Seeing him fainting on the ground, everyone quickly helped him to the hospital at the door. “Thanks to these neighbors, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable!” Xu Zuozhang lamented.
“In order to facilitate the elderly to seek medical treatment, mutual aid homes are constructed in towns or central villages, adjacent to township health centers and clinics. The township health center goes to the mutual aid home once a month to deliver medicines for physical examinations for the elderly.” Jimusar County Civil Affairs Bureau Elderly Care Society Ma Yanyun, a staff member of the Affairs Office, said.
　　Apply for free
Popular with the elderly
Ergong Town Mutual Aid House is a three-story building with an elevator. The rooms are built side by side. After leaving the room door, there is a long corridor. The sunlight shines through the large glass windows, making the corridor warm. Everyone on the windowsill of the corridor The flowers are in full bloom, and old people who want to exercise but are afraid of the cold are strolling back and forth in the corridor. There are activity rooms on each floor, complete with chess and card tables, and even fitness equipment and simple rehabilitation equipment. Everyone can find something they like.
In the mutual aid home, elderly people over 60 years old and capable of taking care of themselves can apply to stay in a 30-40 square meter room for free. They only need to bring their own furniture and pay for water, electricity, heating and daily food and drink expenses. “For central heating, the annual heating fee for each room is only more than 700 yuan. With water and electricity bills included, it is just over 1,000 yuan per year.” Huang Guozhen said.
If the elderly live here, who will be responsible for managing it? In accordance with the principle of “the elderly's affairs are managed by the elderly,” the mutual aid home has established a hospital committee to prioritize the selection of management personnel from younger retired cadres and veterans to improve the mutual aid home's code of conduct, sanitation, safety, entertainment, etc. Management system, the county finance department will provide a monthly subsidy of 500 yuan per person.
At present, the 12 mutual aid homes in Jimusar County are full, but the elderly who apply for admission every year are still queuing up. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the local area will build two new mutual aid homes to try to accommodate more elderly people.
　　Rich activities
Improve management system
The Laotai Township Mutual Aid Home is a side-by-side bungalow. In the vegetable field at the door, green vegetables have sprouted. The diligent old man has built a small shed with plastic, and the leeks inside have grown several feet long. “Based on the needs of the elderly in rural areas, we have All mutual aid homes are equipped with vegetable plots to continue the living habits of the elderly. Those who cannot grow vegetables can give the land to their neighbors to grow vegetables, so that eating vegetables is not a problem.
Yang Jianming, an old man from Laohu Village in Laotai Township, has a high degree of education and a strong body. After moving into the Mutual Aid Home in Laotai Township, he became the deputy director. He would “patrol” from house to house every morning and evening to find out who had a broken faucet. If the lock can't be opened, he can fix it.
Originally the backbone of the village's literary and artistic community, living in a mutual aid home made it easier to organize activities. Yang Jianming formed a “band” with erhu and banhu accompaniment and sang Qin opera and Xinjiang tunes. The activity room was bustling every day.
In 2023, Jimusar County has a fiscal budget of 420,000 yuan and strives for 2.2 million yuan in welfare lottery funds from superiors to be used for daily infrastructure maintenance and public expenses of mutual aid homes. In order to ensure the quality of long-term operations, the County Civil Affairs Bureau is also considering using each home's An appropriate fee of 600 yuan per year will be charged to the elderly residents, which will be used for the later maintenance of the mutual aid home.
“People's Daily” (page 13, April 15, 2024)
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