Over 1,000 Putuo District residents have joined an "elderly care time bank" scheme to help others and earn "free service hours" for themselves.

The district government has disclosed that 1,264 care providers in Putuo have delivered 97,074 hours of service to 1,623 elderly residents since March 2021.

On Monday, Putuo launched 10 innovative programs to transform its aging care services. This month marks the 14th National "Respect for the Elderly Month."

The Time Bank program has distributed 100 hours per year of free service time, or "time currency," to 1,000 eligible citizens in various communities throughout the city.

It also recruits 500 service providers to provide support.

According to a district government official, the initiative focuses on matching the correct services to people in need, including emotional support, companionship, recreational activities, health education and legal advice.

A wish recognition campaign allowed the public to claim 100 wishes from the elderly. Participants can claim and help realize the wishes of the elderly.

Other innovative programs include smart sensing and innovative care platforms. Health records, nursing, medical and meal data are digitized for the elderly. Intelligent interaction devices and AI technology enable customized services.

The "Guardians of Memory" project brings multidisciplinary cognitive health education, risk assessment, intervention and care support to over 200 city neighborhoods for 55-year-olds. People at risk of cognitive deterioration can receive complete cognitive rehabilitation through the project.

Putuo offers legal consulting, public awareness campaigns, legal help, and elderly rights protection in financial investments and fraud prevention.

This campaign inspires respect and support for the elderly by teaching them how to safeguard their legal rights.