By LiuDan | Project Leader
From 16th to 19th of June in 2015, Leling Senior Citizen Social Work Center launched a summer gift giving activity for the elderly living in Shijingshan in Beijing. Together with volunteers, the staff of Leling covered 4 streets in Shijingshan – Guangning Street, Pingguoyuan Street, Bajiao Street and Gucheng Street. 112 senior members of society in 16 communities were visited.
The hot weather of summer will inevitably affect the daily life of the elderly. Using the capital from fundraising activities and the rest of the world, Leling prepared summer gift for the experienced; it included a pillow and a fan, which offer comfort during sleep and could be waved so as to cool the elderly respectively. Towel as well as anti-mosquito perfume and Chinese medicine for headache and cold. Summer gift giving focused on the underprivileged elderly, including those suffering for severe diseases and those having poor financial situation.
The elderly were pleased with the gift giving; they appreciated the practicability and generosity. With reference to the information collected from the interview, the living of the elderly was below satisfaction; many suffered from chronic diseases like hypertension and heart diseases; mobility of some were reduced due to paralysis of body parts triggered by illnesses. The medical expenses contribute the financial burden of the elderly. Moreover, most elderly received little pension; some even had no income and were left no choice but to rely on subsidies from the society, worsening the burden. During delivery, since some senior members of the society were living in remote area with unsatisfactory standards, it was difficult to get to their home for the Leling staff and volunteers, let alone for the elderly.
Through summer gift giving, the understanding of living of the elderly was strengthened; thus, future activities and support could be better accommodated their needs. Summer gift represented the society care from both Leling and the communities of Shijingshan. Hopefully the elderly could reckon the constant support from Leling and Shijingshan, find the summer gift useful and have a nice summer.
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