On September 15, the Standing Committee of the County People’s Congress organized the third-quarter activity for Kunming municipal legislators from the Songming representative group, focusing on an inspection of elderly care services in the county. The event was led by Chai Jihong, Director of the County People’s Congress Standing Committee, along with Deputy Director Yang Yanhong, Deputy County Mayor Zhang Jun, and heads of relevant departments.
The delegation visited the County Civil Affairs Service Center, the County Central Nursing Home, and the Yangqiao Subdistrict Comprehensive Elderly Care Service Center. At each location, they toured living quarters, physiotherapy rooms, treatment rooms, and dining halls, gaining a detailed understanding of operational management, staffing, service guarantees, and the daily lives of the elderly residents. They also engaged in face-to-face conversations with residents to gather feedback and suggestions.
During the stop at the County Civil Affairs Service Center, the group examined the facility’s current operations, supporting infrastructure, and staffing structure, while inspecting the condition of the living spaces, physiotherapy rooms, and cafeteria. Legislators recommended prioritizing fire safety, gradually upgrading the environment to improve aesthetics, planning ahead for expansion of the dining area, and partnering with the Songming Vocational Education New City to leverage university resources for recruiting local interns and staff.
At the County Central Nursing Home, the team reviewed the facility’s amenities and recreational offerings, inspecting bedrooms, treatment rooms, and the cafeteria. Suggestions included introducing exercise routines tailored to seniors to boost their physical fitness and strengthening collaboration with local universities to bring in volunteer support, thereby enriching the cultural and spiritual lives of the residents.
At the Yangqiao Subdistrict Comprehensive Elderly Care Service Center, the group listened to staff presentations on personnel composition, equipment, and leisure activities. They praised the center’s practice of labeling each resident’s name and dietary preferences at the dining tables. During the visit, the team spoke with a resident who had moved from Sichuan and had been living there for ten months. The resident expressed satisfaction with the service quality and a fondness for Songming’s climate.
The legislators advised maintaining the public-private partnership (PPP) operation model while continuously enhancing professional and refined service standards. They called for more diverse cultural, recreational, and emotional support activities, organizing suitable sports and leisure programs based on residents’ health conditions. Additionally, they emphasized improving nutritional meal planning and strictly enforcing fire and food safety protocols to ensure a safe and comfortable living environment for all residents.
As of now, the county operates four elderly care institutions: one public nursing home, one under the public-private model, and two private facilities. These provide a total of 440 beds, with 246 residents currently in residence, reflecting an occupancy rate of 55.9%. Looking ahead, Songming County plans to optimize the supply of elderly care services, address gaps between urban and rural areas, and promote coordinated development between institutional and home-community care. Efforts will also focus on cultivating local professional talent in senior services, raising the overall quality and precision of care, and building a more accessible system that spans both urban and rural communities to boost the well-being and satisfaction of the elderly.