This model has become a grassroots blueprint for resolving eldercare issues in rural China. Since its launch in 2022, through public funding, resource integration, platform operations, and collective village support, Yiyuan has established 230 Happy Home Livelihood Complexes and 168 food assistance stations, achieving full eldercare coverage across all 446 villages in the county.

　　Two elderly villagers chat over lunch in Nanliuzhuang village, Yiyuan on July 23, 2025. Photo: Shan Jie/GT

　　“A dining hall in our village“

　　While Xu Furong and her old friends enjoy lunch at the long tables in the dining hall, meal delivery worker Xu Lihong dons her bright red vest and sets off on her electric scooter.

　　She weaves through the winding village lanes to deliver a hot meal to a senior couple with limited mobility. This special delivery service is part of the Nanliuzhuang complex“s offering for those who need extra care.

　　Previously a full-time farmer, 50-year-old Xu Lihong said the job not only supplements her family income, but also gives her a sense of fulfillment. “The seniors light up when they see me. I feel very accomplished,“ she said.

　　In the nearby village of Fanziyu, a small, tidy mountain community of just over 290 residents, Fang Lijuan is the head chef, as well as the only employee at the local senior canteen.

　　As skillfully peeling potatoes, she explained, “Every day we serve 20 to 30 seniors. Cooking for them and seeing them chatting and laughing together makes me genuinely happy. This job feels meaningful.“

　　But Fang does not work alone. Behind her is a well-organized system that supports every aspect of operations.