A Young Man’s Dream of Serving Elders

Yan Shuai endeavors to build a better nursing home where seniors enjoy a richer cultural life.

Those residents who are capable of taking care of themselves are charged RMB 1,800 per month for a single room. Those who need 24-hour attention are charged from RMB 2,800 to 3,600. All rooms are equipped with televisions, air-conditioners, fridges, showers and toilets with grab bars.

“I’ve striven to build an old-age home that is affordable for ordinary people,” Yan said. “At the current rates, we are able to make ends meet if we don’t take land depreciation into consideration.”

The relatively low rates have attracted more elders, and Puleyuan has expanded rapidly to meet the rising demand. At first, there were just 50 beds in two rows of single-storey houses. But today, it has three rows of single-storey houses and a three-storey building, with a total of 323 beds. In addition, a new complex with 125 beds is under construction, with the aim of offering comprehensive medical and rehabilitation services.

Yan met his wife after he had taken over the nursing home. The couple now run the facility. Yan’s mother, recovering after an operation, sometimes lends them a hand. Yan’s father often chats with other seniors to relieve their loneliness. The project is truly a family business.

Emotional Bonds

Yan does his best to provide friendly services and management, so as to make the elders feel at home.

Seniors are usually scared by an unfamiliar environment. So when newcomers move in, Yan Shuai always first asks about their hobbies, and introduces them to other residents who share the same interests, so they can make friends.

“The aged, unlike young people, tend to become isolated from others,” Yan said. “What we need to do is encourage them to spend some time together and help them better integrate into the group.”

During our interview, I heard a care-worker telling a story in the corridor. It turned out that she was coaxing a resident to walk to her room for a midday rest. The resident was suffering from dementia, so was patiently treated like a child.