Simplifying Access to Care

Since the nationwide implementation of a policy providing consumer subsidies for care services to moderately and severely disabled seniors, local governments have responded actively. Beijing, Tianjin, and Jiangsu, drawing on their unique local elderly care needs, have launched a series of innovative measures to effectively reduce the care burden on families with moderately to severely disabled seniors, injecting vitality into the high-quality development of the silver economy.

E-commerce Integration in Beijing

To optimize the service experience, Beijing has streamlined the process by integrating elderly care consumer subsidies into e-commerce channels. Disabled seniors who have passed the qualification review can now directly book home-based care services on e-commerce platforms, with the subsidy automatically deducted at checkout, greatly simplifying the service procedure. Ms. Dong, a resident of the Ruilian Jiayuan community in Xicheng District, was among the first to try this new service. With her children living far away, she had been solely caring for her 90-year-old husband. After fracturing her left arm, Ms. Dong struggled with daily chores. Learning about the subsidy policy from a former colleague, she applied, and her husband was assessed as severely disabled, qualifying for the subsidy. "I used to book services through the 'Minzhengtong' mini-program, but when I heard the e-commerce platform also worked, I wanted to try it," Ms. Dong said. With help from a community station worker, she booked a three-hour home care session the day before, and the caregiver arrived punctually the next day. The platform's home care services include basic items like health monitoring, dietary care, and post-meal cleaning, along with optional services such as personal hygiene, toileting assistance, health activities, and companionship. After the experience, Ms. Dong praised it: "The service is professional and thoughtful, and the subsidy is a real help. It was a great experience."

Expanding Mobility Support in Tianjin

Tianjin has continuously optimized its elderly care consumer subsidy policy. Building on existing services like home and community care and day care, it has now included mobility assistance services within the scope of subsidies for moderately to severely disabled seniors. The new mobility assistance subsidy covers two eligible groups: home-based seniors and seniors residing in long-term care facilities meeting the standards. The entire application process is online. Applicants simply submit via the "Minzhengtong" client, and upon approval, the subsidy is issued monthly as electronic vouchers, up to a maximum of 800 yuan per month. 80-year-old Grandpa Zhang, who has difficulty walking and needs regular hospital check-ups, recently booked a mobility assistance service through "Minzhengtong." Shortly after ordering, a mobility assistant from a senior care service agency arrived with a professional stair-climbing machine, helping him complete his hospital visit smoothly. "This service saved me so much trouble, and the staff were very kind," Grandpa Zhang said. To simplify the process and improve verification accuracy, the mobility subsidy now uses cross-departmental data review. After an applicant submits basic information, the system automatically connects with health authorities to retrieve medical records and visit history, automatically matching the appropriate assistive device, such as a stair-climbing machine or wheelchair, based on the applicant's condition. As of June 30, 2026, Tianjin had distributed 137,600 vouchers, with a cumulative value of 71.139 million yuan redeemed.

Pioneering 'Cognitive Care + Subsidies' in Taicang, Jiangsu

Focusing on the challenges of caring for seniors with cognitive impairment at home, the city of Taicang in Jiangsu Province has pioneered a new model combining cognitive care and consumer subsidies. This helps economically disadvantaged seniors with dementia access professional care services. 67-year-old Grandma Yang, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, is a beneficiary of this policy. As her condition progressed, her memory deteriorated, making daily life difficult. With her children busy at work and unable to provide full-time care at home, and the high cost of professional nursing facilities, the family was at a loss. After the consumer subsidy policy for moderately to severely disabled seniors was implemented, local civil affairs staff proactively visited to assess needs. Grandma Yang was identified as meeting the criteria for moderate disability and eligible for the subsidy, receiving up to 800 yuan in vouchers each month to directly offset the cost of institutional care, significantly reducing the financial burden. Grandma Yang has now been admitted to a nursing home, where she receives round-the-clock care from professionally trained staff.