TestenGOLD- Free

Residents at China's first retirement home for the blind sing, travel and even find love

The Straits Times|December 29, 2024
Thoughtful planning and support ensure they feel safe and are not isolated
- Aw Cheng Wei
Residents at China's first retirement home for the blind sing, travel and even find love

SHENYANG/CHONGQING - Outside a white building in Shenyang city, elderly people, most of them with thin scarves or hoodies covering their heads to prevent sunburn, can often be seen walking along its periphery.

Their eyes appear closed and they hold on to handrails at the side of the building as they walk briskly along.

Welcome to China's first retirement home for the blind, Haiman Yisheng, where extra support is provided for its residents on their daily walks.

The home has been held up as a prime example of specialized eldercare in China as demand grows for centers that cater to specific needs of a rapidly aging population.

China has one of the world's fastest-growing aging populations, according to the World Health Organization, with the proportion of the population aged above 60 projected to reach 28 per cent by 2040.

There are some 17 million in the country living with a form of sight disability as at end-2023. Other specialized eldercare homes in China include those set up for patients with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Haiman Yisheng director Zhang Yu told The Sunday Times that centers such as hers reflect "the changing needs of China's elderly who have grown up in a society that no longer worries about food and other basic necessities".

"The elderly in China are no longer satisfied with the traditional and straightforward provision of care offered by older generations of retirement homes," she said.

Much thought went into the design of Haiman Yisheng, which was set up in 2019.

Residents are assigned specific seats in the cafeteria at tables for four, which have residents' names in print and in Braille on the corners. This helps them settle down for meals quickly.

Each dish - vegetables, rice, meat and soup - is served on different types of crockery so that residents can better identify what they are eating.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 29, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 9.500 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 29, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 9.500 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS THE STRAITS TIMESAlle anzeigen
Putin Eyes a Bigger Prize Than Ukraine
The Straits Times

Putin Eyes a Bigger Prize Than Ukraine

Will the Russian leader spring a surprise at the upcoming Nato summit?

time-read
7 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
Patients May Feel Embarrassed
The Straits Times

Patients May Feel Embarrassed

\"When these functions are disrupted, a person will struggle to swallow,\" he says.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
The Straits Times

Women's Football in Japan Looks to Europe

In a sign of its growing global status, women's football at the next Summer Olympics will feature more teams than the men's competition.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
President Tharman praises A.R. Rahman for helping Singapore musicians
The Straits Times

President Tharman praises A.R. Rahman for helping Singapore musicians

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has praised Indian music star A.R. Rahman for working with Singapore musicians.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
The Straits Times

China's removal of its top official in HK a 'normal' move: John Lee

Hong Kong's leader John Lee said on June 3 that China's recent removal of its top representative in the city, known for his hardline policies on national security, had been a \"normal\" personnel change.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
The Straits Times

AI firm aims to reignite Gen Z's interest in sports

Sport has been unable to resist the surge of artificial intelligence (AI) and the biggest one of them all, football, is benefiting from data that AI can supply and the human eye cannot.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
The Straits Times

Why AI May Encourage a Drift Towards Mediocrity

The risk is that we come to accept 'good enough' results as the norm in exchange for AI's efficiency.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
SMRT to be fined $3m for major East-West Line disruption in 2024
The Straits Times

SMRT to be fined $3m for major East-West Line disruption in 2024

Incident crippled MRT services, disrupted 1 in 6 train trips every day

time-read
5 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
The Straits Times

'Workism' isn't the enemy

It's not wrong to find meaning and identity primarily in your work. The danger lies elsewhere.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
June 04, 2025
The Straits Times

Harvard Urges Quick Ruling on Trump's Funding Freeze

Harvard University lawyers urged a US federal judge to rule immediately that the Trump administration's freeze on US$2.2 billion (S$2.8 billion) in funding is illegal and that it violated the school's free speech and regulatory rights.

time-read
1 min  |
June 04, 2025

Wir verwenden Cookies, um unsere Dienste bereitzustellen und zu verbessern. Durch die Nutzung unserer Website stimmen Sie zu, dass die Cookies gesetzt werden. Learn more