A quest to make the twilight years a breeze

Shanghai's efforts to improve its elderly care have borne fruit, but industry experts say more could be done to bolster the sector, Cao Chen reports.

Looking after the elderly at a nursing home used to be a painful task for Zhu Fenhua. Although she had learned basic nursing skills before, she was never taught how to manage emotional breakdowns and erratic behavior.

To deal with the stress, Zhu would often complain to her friends and family about her job.

But going back to school has eliminated any need to complain.

Zhu is among the hundreds of people who have studied for a Diploma in Elderly Service and Management that was launched by the Shanghai Open University and the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau in 2017.

According to her, the two-and-a-half-year program has taught her important theories and practices that have helped her career as a caregiver immensely.

"All aspects of nursing are covered, including geriatric physiology, communication etiquette and rehabilitative care. I can now easily solve all those problems I used to face at work," she says.

According to the Shanghai Open University, 523 people have enrolled in the diploma since its inception, with more than 85 percent of these students being industry practitioners like Zhu.