Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

INSTALLING lever-style doorknobs, putting grab bars in bathrooms, replacing flooring with slip-resistant material, and adding a wheelchair ramp are some common home renovations that make a senior’s home safer and more comfortable.

Zeng Xiangling, who lives with her husband in Dongxiao Subdistrict, Luohu District, couldn’t hide her satisfaction when sharing the modifications made to her house.

“The lighting in our home used to be relatively dim. We have replaced it with energy-saving lights, which are very bright. The bathroom has also been equipped with grab bars, which are more convenient for us.”

Zeng’s family is one of the thousands of households in Shenzhen that have made modifications to their homes.

In 2020, the city’s civil affairs bureau started to pilot a home modification program for elder citizens and offered a subsidy of no more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,389) per household.

These home renovations, with an eye toward elder care needs, help seniors maintain independence while enjoying the comforts of home.

Small changes

make big difference

For many older adults, living well means living comfortably at home. Making modifications and other accessibility upgrades to a home can help them age in place comfortably and safely.

Living alone in Cuizhu Subdistrict, Luohu District, a senior citizen surnamed Deng likes to listen to music and read newspapers at home. Walking into the 78-year-old’s home, a special table came into view.

Unlike other tables, this senior-friendly table has cut-outs at four corners that serve as hand grips, making it convenient for seniors to stand up after sitting for a long time. Meanwhile, there are crutch slots on both sides of the table for storing crutches.

Next to the table sits a senior-friendly chair, with memory foam cushions installed on the back and base.

Across from the table is a reinforced low cabinet where Deng’s newspapers, books, and miscellaneous items are placed. An intelligent voice assistant and a one-touch emergency call device are also located on the cabinet.

The device is connected to Deng’s relatives, community and subdistrict workers, ensuring a timely response once the button is pressed.

For 82-year-old Guan and his partner, surnamed Xi, using a laundry pole to place clothes on a ceiling mounted drying rack has become a bit difficult as they age.

In response to their needs, the home renovation team installed a motorized clothes drying rack in their home, making it convenient for the couple to do laundry and dry clothes.

“This is the modification I’m most satisfied with,” Guan, who gave a demonstration of operating the clothes drying rack with a remote control, said happily.

SZ standards

According to the seventh national population census conducted in 2020, Shenzhen had 940,700 permanent residents aged 60 or above, accounting for 5.36% of the city’s population.

By 2029, the number of permanent senior citizens aged 60 and above in Shenzhen is predicted to reach 1.49 million, or 10.52% of the city’s total population, a Xinhua News Agency report said. That figure also suggests that by then, the city will formally have an aging society.

Shenzhen is actively creating a blueprint for smart elder care, promoting the coordinated development of community-based and in-home elder care, and building an senior-friendly city to help senior citizens age in place, according to Xiong Ying, director of the city’s civil affairs bureau.

In June last year, Shenzhen officially implemented a three-year trial program to carry out home modifications for qualified senior citizens that provides a home improvement subsidy of up to 20,000 yuan for impoverished seniors and a subsidy of up to 12,000 yuan for other qualified applicants.

As of Jan. 24, 2024, Shenzhen had completed home renovations for over 10,000 households with seniors, according to the bureau.

The bureau also issued local standards for home modifications that went into effect at the beginning of this year.

The standards are applicable to the design and modifications made to seniors’ homes within the city, providing clear specifications for basic requirements, the renovation process, and after-sale service of home remodeling projects.

The standards require that such modifications should meet relevant requirements in construction hardware, furniture installation, auxiliary equipment adaptation, and intelligent products.