Care workers in short supply as senior population keeps growing
Print Edition
AS Shanghai’s population ages, more workers are needed in the senior care industry. But the hard work, low pay and lack of prestige associated with such jobs make recruitment difficult.
Huang Qin has been a care worker since 1992 but said she still finds the job interesting and rewarding. She also trains new entrants to the industry.
“Every senior has their own personality, and you need to communicate with them and care for them in different ways,” said the 42-year-old, who works at the Shanghai No. 3 Social Welfare Institute in the Baoshan District.
The number of Shanghai residents aged 60 or more grew 7 percent last year to more than 4.1 million — or nearly 30 percent of all residents — and is set to surpass 6 million by 2025, according to a study by the Civil Affairs Bureau.
In contrast, the city has 660 registered nursing homes with just 115,000 beds, or enough for 3 percent of the elderly population.
Huang began her career in Chongming County, where she cared for mentally handicapped people. She said she got used to seeing odd things, like the man who liked to put toads in his mouth.
She now looks after people with dementia and physical disabilities.
“Although I had some nursing skills when I started out, taking care of mentally handicapped people and seniors with disabilities was a whole new world for me,” she said.
When it comes to tough cases, she said she has seen it all.
She cited the case of an 80-year-old bachelor who couldn’t bear to have anyone touching his possessions. He even marked his soap with his name and went into a tantrum when a janitor moved it during cleaning.
Despite the downsides, Huang said she prides herself on trying to forge good relationships with even the most difficult of patients.
“You need an open mind and you have to listen to what people say,” she said.
“You can’t always do what they want, but you do what you can. You should never argue with them and it’s best to leave your personal problems at home,” she said.
With such a testimonial it’s not hard to see why people are reluctant to enter the industry.
Huang said she’s trained more than 300 people in the past four years, but only 100 are still working in the sector.
“This job has low social status. People always ask me why I stay,” she said.
But stay she does, and hopes that one day care workers will be recognized for the work they do.
But she said she is not holding her breath.
“People born after 1990 haven’t experienced hardships like their parents and grandparents, and don’t understand the problems of getting old,” Huang said.
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