Innovative medical and elderly care integration model to safeguard the health of the elderly

Elderly care services are related to people's livelihoods and are closely linked to the hearts of the people, and are a genuine concern of the masses. In order to continuously meet the health and elderly care service needs of the elderly, the Shashi District Health Bureau actively adapts to the rapid development needs of population aging, integrates various resources, and promotes the integration of grassroots medical care and elderly care through multiple models, striving to enhance the happiness and sense of achievement of the elderly's health.

The "medical care with elderly care" model: providing elderly care services in medical institutions. Four township health centers in Shashi District have added a total of 80 beds for medical and elderly care, achieving full coverage of medical and elderly care in all township health centers in the district. Four township health centers have carried out aging friendly renovations based on their existing wards, mainly treating disabled and semi disabled patients, providing continuous daily health care, health promotion, traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation, elderly care, and other convenient life services. In the first half of 2024, more than 90 patients with medical and elderly care (including palliative care) were admitted and treated.

The "Medical Elderly Cooperation" model: carrying out contract services for elderly care and medical institutions. Promote the signing of contracts and cooperation between medical institutions and 18 surrounding elderly care institutions, clarify the content and methods of medical services, and facilitate the green channel for elderly residents to seek medical treatment and referral.

The "integration of the two academies" model: implementing centralized medical care for impoverished and disabled elderly people. Promote the adjacent construction of Guanyindang Central Health Center and Shashi Rural Central Welfare Institute, integrate and utilize existing resources of township health centers and welfare institutions, and achieve a centralized medical and elderly care model with elderly care institutions as the main body and professional medical institutions as the guarantee.