Rural elderly care networks are being innovatively strengthened in multiple regions. Tai'an's Taishan District in Shandong, Miluo City in Hunan and Yongchang County in Gansu have respectively introduced mutual-aid point systems, community-level care sites and professional home services to extend basic elderly care into rural areas.
In Taishan District, a mutual-aid model where younger seniors assist older ones has been rolled out. Rural elderly are classified into three age groups: those aged 60–70 as the main volunteer force, those aged 70–80 participating based on health, and those over 80 as key service recipients. Volunteers earn points through village charity stores, exchangeable for daily necessities. Twelve mutual-aid teams with 562 younger seniors now provide six services: meals, cleaning, emergency assistance, bathing, mobility support and medical help. Six integrated medical and nursing institutions are also involved, offering training in daily care, health monitoring and emergency response, with registered services to ensure traceability.
In Miluo, services are further brought to the residential cluster level. Idle homes, old supply cooperatives and ancestral halls are converted into care points within a 500-metre radius, allowing easy access for dining and socializing. The community canteen in Huaqiao charges only six yuan for a three-dish soup meal to those aged 60 and above. The Yujiaqiao site in Shuangchu Village was among the first pilots, using a house provided free by a villager. A total of 60 such sites are now built or under construction, covering over 53,500 elderly.
In Yongchang, a public service team delivers meals, cleaning, nursing and companionship to rural seniors. Chengguan Town organized a delivery team for the elderly with mobility issues, with menus planned weekly by the centre to ensure nutrition. The county purchases services and regularly trains carers, providing meals, bathing and other assistance to financially disadvantaged seniors. Additionally, 470 rural households with special difficulties have completed age-friendly home modifications, with an average subsidy of 1,400 yuan per household.