With a soft "click" sound, 80-year-old resident Zeng Honghan from Quanzhou, east China's Fujian Province, raised his hand to touch the door handle, and the smart door promptly unlocked.
"Previously, I had to lean against the wall and shuffle forward slowly when opening the door, always fearing I might slip and fall," Zeng said. "Now, with the smart door lock, I feel much more secure."
Like Zeng, other elderly residents in his community have been amazed by the age-friendly renovations that have transformed their daily lives -- including smart door locks, bedside emergency call devices, and motion-sensor lights in bathrooms.
Quanzhou is among China's pioneering cities to prioritize home- and community-based elderly care. Last year, it took the lead in launching a subsidized program for home accessibility renovations through a trade-in initiative.
The renovation subsidies cover a range of options -- from bathroom safety upgrades to indoor mobility aids and intelligent monitoring systems. Residents aged between 60 and 79 receive a 50-percent subsidy, while those 80 or older qualify for an 80-percent subsidy.
Huang Linan, a local government official, noted that community workers compiled a list of needs for residents over 60 years old, who make up nearly 30 percent of the population -- and developed a comprehensive service system covering healthcare, meals, housing and leisure activities.
"In China, aging in one's own home is both a traditional custom and common aspiration among seniors," Huang remarked.
By the end of 2024, China's population aged 65 and older had surged to 220 million, accounting for 15.6 percent of the total population -- a historic high in both scale and proportion.
To develop an elderly care service system aligned with China's realities, the country has completed home modifications for 2.24 million vulnerable elderly households over the past five years under the 14th Five-Year Plan.
In addition, up to 86,000 elderly meal service sites have been established nationwide -- serving over 3 million seniors daily.
At a key Communist Party of China meeting held in Beijing last week, recommendations for formulating the national economic and social development plan for the next five years were adopted -- including plans to renovate more public facilities to make them more age-friendly and barrier-free.
Liu Zhenguo, vice minister of civil affairs, stated earlier this month that China is speeding up the development of an elderly care system with Chinese characteristics, which will continuously optimize its service supply structure.
"An elderly-friendly social environment is being built at an accelerated pace," Liu added.
Since 2020, China has established around 500 model community-based home care service networks and nearly 3,000 elderly-friendly model communities nationwide.
These communities are tasked with implementing age-friendly renovations, enhancing barrier-free access to public facilities, organizing senior participation in community activities, and establishing elderly learning centers.
Notably, they are also required to continuously provide a wide array of services -- including health management, daily life assistance, meals, bathing, cleaning and emergency rescue.
According to the National Health Commission, all residential communities in China will be elderly-friendly by 2035.
From an operational perspective, various regions across China have been exploring tailored models for developing community-based elderly care service systems. This approach involves leveraging the distinct roles and contributions of enterprises, social organizations and local government departments.
An elderly daycare center is located less than 300 meters from Zeng's home. This 900-square-meter facility includes a lounge, activity room and dining hall, and 15 beds.
"We are building a '15-minute' home-based elderly care service circle to meet demand with available resources," said Sun Gangyong, a local civil affairs official in Quanzhou.
