At noon, autumn sunlight filters through the glass windows, landing on the dining tables of the Zhongdong Town Comprehensive Elderly Care Service Center in Jinta County. Dishes like dressed cucumber salad, stir-fried vegetables with meat, and potato chicken stew come out of the kitchen one by one. Seniors sit around the tables, eating and chatting, with bursts of laughter echoing through the dining hall.
"The cafeteria offers a wide variety of meals that are light on flavor, which suits us seniors perfectly. I don't have to cook at home, and I can catch up with my old neighbors—it's wonderful!" said Peng Dehua, a villager from Wangzizhuang Village, with a smile. A warm meal truly touches the hearts of the elderly.
In recent years, Jinta County has integrated various public resources to standardize the layout of senior meal service points across urban and rural areas, aiming to build a convenient "15-minute elderly care service circle." To date, the county has put into operation 10 township-level comprehensive elderly care service centers, 19 village-level mutual aid happiness homes, and 2 urban meal service points. The elder care network now covers both urban and rural areas, providing meal services to nearly 5,000 eligible seniors throughout the year.
A hot meal connects to the happiness of countless seniors in their later years. The Jinta County finance department allocates special annual funds for meal assistance subsidies and operational support, while also providing public welfare positions to ensure the sustained operation of these services. Through open and merit-based selection, 31 high-quality private enterprises, social organizations, and local catering businesses have been brought in to operate these facilities, offering tiered meal discounts based on age groups.
What truly keeps seniors coming back is not just the affordable prices, but the added value: weekly updated menus that follow the principles of less salt, less oil, and less sugar; door-to-door meal delivery for the elderly, disabled, and those living alone; and regular heartwarming activities like free health checkups, cultural performances, and psychological counseling sessions.
To address the needs of seniors for convenience, safety, and affordability, every meal service point goes the extra mile. All ingredients are traceable, daily dishes are retained for 48 hours as samples, and prices and menus are publicly displayed, ensuring transparency for the elderly. Food safety is the lifeline. Jinta County has established comprehensive management standards covering all aspects, including fire safety, procurement, processing, disinfection, and health management, with standardized controls at every step. So far, nine rounds of special inspections have been conducted, leading to the rectification of 341 hidden risks and giving seniors peace of mind with every meal.
A single hot meal speaks volumes about care for people's well-being. The meal service points scattered across urban and rural areas have become a reassuring sight in Jinta, warming the golden years of its seniors.