Lanzhou New Area recently held a live-action promotion meeting for senior care services, moving the venue from a conference room to welfare homes, community canteens, and rural mutual-aid homes. This immersive event showcased the region's commitment to building a robust "county-township-village" three-tiered elderly care network, blending practical steps with visionary planning.

At the Lanzhou New Area Social Welfare Home, also known as the Lanzhou New Area Health and Wellness Center, 59-year-old Baoguang Gui is undergoing rehabilitation therapy using a neuromuscular electrical stimulator. Disabled by polio, he has lived here for three years. Initially, the facility only provided basic daily care with minimal medical support. However, in April of this year, the Lanzhou New Area Kangda Rehabilitation Hospital began a trial operation, offering professional rehabilitation services to over ten elderly residents daily. This shift is backed by substantial investment from the government and state-owned enterprises. The welfare home spans 40 acres with a total building area of 11,200 square meters, supported by an investment of 57.53 million yuan. After being taken over by the state-owned Lanzhou New Area Kangda Health Management Company in 2025, the facility underwent comprehensive upgrades to its environment, fire safety, and equipment. A key addition is a 20-bed rehabilitation hospital on the ground floor, featuring Western and traditional rehabilitation therapies with a professional medical team. This setup extends services from in-house residents to the broader community, effectively bridging the gap between "downstairs medical care and upstairs elderly living," fulfilling the final step in integrated care.

In Huajiajing Village, Qin Chuan Town, the Mutual Aid Home for the Elderly, converted from a disused primary school, provides daily meal services for 20 to 30 seniors at just 3 yuan per meal. Village party secretary Yang Juan notes that low-income seniors are drawn by the affordability, which relies on state-owned enterprise discounts and government support. In contrast, the Fangjiapo community canteen in the core area offers meals at 20% off market prices, serving over 200 people daily, including about 60 seniors. Zhang Qin, deputy director of the Lanzhou New Area Civil Affairs and Social Security Bureau, explains that prices vary by location, with rural meals priced lower due to seniors' income levels. The sustainability of the 3-yuan meal program is ensured through a combination of state-owned enterprise contributions, government subsidies, and village collective economic support, along with pre-service benefits like free venue provision and tax exemptions.

At the Qixia Central Community Comprehensive Elderly Care Service Center, a 2024 provincial government project, 91-year-old Ma Zhongren and his 85-year-old wife, Bai Runjiang, have found a home-like environment. After Bai's injury, they chose this center, located across the street, for its proximity and personalized care. Ma emphasizes that they avoided large, distant care homes, but this center feels like home, with staff addressing them as "grandpa" and "grandma." Chen Gan, deputy director of the Qixia Central Community, says the center focuses on "community integration" and "aging in place," with affordable fees that appeal to seniors through a sense of security and familial warmth, not just price.

The Lanzhou New Area Smart Elderly Care Information Platform was officially launched during the meeting. Displayed on a large screen at the health center, it provides real-time data on all care facilities, meal assistance points, fire safety, and personnel movements, achieving intelligent security and real-time monitoring. The platform's developer notes that some care home beds are equipped with millimeter-wave radar to monitor vital signs, and it can link with smart watches and emergency callers for fall detection and location tracking. It also plans to partner with vocational schools in the New Area's education park to explore a volunteer service model with point exchange for mutual old-age care.

Lanzhou New Area's three-tiered elderly care network structure is now clear: the county-level welfare home serves as the "brain" for coordination and professional care; township-level comprehensive centers act as "hubs" connecting home and community care; and village-level mutual-aid homes and day-care centers serve as "tentacles" for basic services. While building this network is a crucial first step, ensuring its effective and sustainable operation is where true effort lies. As Zhang Qin remarks, "Elderly care is not a one-person job; it requires collective effort. Every detail is considered, and each point has value." The warmth of this care system is reflected not only in multimillion-yuan investments but also in affordable meal prices, every millimeter-wave radar monitoring, and the staff's respectful address of "grandpa" and "grandma." This promotion meeting served as a stress test, evaluating whether the combined forces of government leadership, state-owned enterprise operations, and social participation can truly support seniors' happy later years. The answer is gradually becoming clear and warm through the daily services of this three-tiered network.