On New Year's Day, a heartwarming scene unfolded at the nursing home in Barkam, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture in Southwest China’s Sichuan province as caregivers carefully dyed the white hair of the elderly back to black.

Witnessing the joy radiating from the faces of the residents, Geshe Wangmo, director of the nursing home and a deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), says she felt delighted.

Born in the 1990s, Geshe Wangmo has dedicated nearly 16 years of her life to this nursing home. She often refers to herself as a child who grew up under the care of the civil affairs system. At the age of six, she lost both her parents in a mudslide. She and her younger sister grew up under the care and support of the Party, the government and compassionate people, she said.

In 2009, upon learning that the newly established nursing home in Barkam was struggling to recruit caregivers, Geshe Wangmo made up her mind to work there, giving up the opportunity to work as a dancer at nearby scenic spots.

At just 18, she began caring for elderly individuals who were unable to care for themselves, assisting with feeding, bathing, laundry and toileting.

At times, due to staff shortages, she even worked as a security guard and slept in the gatehouse. "Wherever help was needed, I stepped in," she said. Despite moments of doubt, Geshe Wangmo persevered and obtained the qualification certificate for elderly care workers.

In 2019, Geshe Wangmo became the youngest director of the nursing home. "Being the director doesn't mean I stay above it all and exempt from hands-on tasks," she said. She feeds and bathes those who prefer her assistance.

Drawing from her decade-plus hands-on caregiving experience, she has implemented institutionalized care processes, enforced strict hygiene standards and personally trained caregivers in tasks like oral hygiene and bathing.

To enrich the lives of residents, Geshe Wangmo has helped organize activities such as traditional Tibetan dance performances, short video shoots, finger-play exercises, fitness exercises, stage plays, group birthday celebrations and sports events.

Reflecting on the development of elderly care, Geshe Wangmo acknowledged the government's efforts in developing the eldercare industry.

"In recent years, the Party and the government have attached great importance to elderly care, introducing policies to develop and improve the elderly care sector. Our nursing house has also benefited greatly from these efforts," she said.

In 2024, the nursing home moved to a new facility that integrates living, fitness, entertainment and medical services. Two professionally trained caregivers also joined to inject fresh vitality into the team.

2024 also marked the second year of Geshe Wangmo's tenure as a deputy to the 14th NPC. "Being elected as a deputy is both an honor and a test of trust," she said.

As an NPC deputy, Geshe Wangmo has closely aligned her work with the realities of elderly care. She has put forward a number of suggestions to improve elderly care facilities in remote areas, engage more social support for eldercare, enhance salaries for rural caregivers and strengthen talent development in the industry.

Recently, she was busy conducting visits and research about the elderly care sector, holding discussions at the local medical insurance bureau and human resources and social security department, and seeking opinions from the local community. She plans to submit suggestions on raising elderly care insurance benefits for seniors in rural areas.

"Everyone will become old, and the elderly' today is our tomorrow," she said.

For the past 16 years, Geshe Wangmo's focus has been centered on the elderly residents of the nursing home. She says that she looks forward to continuing her dedicated service to uplift more elderly individuals towards a stable and happy future.

On Dec 31, 2024, Geshe Wangmo (left), director of a nursing house in Barkam, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, in Southwest China's Sichuan province, presents new clothes to local elderly people at the nursing house. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

Shu Ying and Li Xinyu contributed to this story.