The temporary children that the elderly hire in China to combat loneliness

The temporary workers that the elderly hire in China to combat loneliness - Author, Stephen McDonell - Author's title, Correspondent in China - Publication date - Reading time: 7 min "The biggest difficulty was, without a doubt, loneliness. Sometimes, if I wanted to talk to someone, I would talk to the television." Yang, 91, lives on the outskirts of Beijing, the bustling capital of China. After the death of her husband, she felt so alone that she even considered voluntary euthanasia. "I asked my son about it, but he told me it was forbidden. I told him that if it were ever legalized, I would do it; I didn't want to keep living." Suffering from glaucoma and with increasingly deteriorating vision, she was unable even to perform basic tasks like adjusting the air conditioning controls. Cases like Yang's have become more common in Chinese cities, which, according to Associate Professor Teresa Kuan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, are "exacerbated by the structure of society and the ways people interact." There are many causes of isolation in China. For example, when rural migrants seek economic opportunities, leaving behind strong support networks to move to urban centers where loneliness and uncertainty can be difficult to overcome, or when graduates become rootless in search of employment on the other side of the country. But now a growing "loneliness industry" has emerged that tries to fill these voids in people's lives. Yang states that her life has changed radically thanks to one of these services: Wang Yingwei and his team of electric scooter delivery drivers. They started coming twice a day with hot meals, but their help goes much further. "We consider ourselves part of the community," Yingwei told the BBC. "That means putting ourselves in the place of the elderly and taking their needs very seriously." For example, they might be drinking tap water, which might be cloudy and contain a lot of lime. I can solve this problem with a filtered water tank. Something so simple can make them much happier. Maybe they cannot take a shower because their appliances are broken. I will buy the part, replace it, and they can shower without a problem. "The elderly treat us like their children, and we treat them like our own parents," he added. Yingwei's services cost less than half of hiring a caregiver. Older people who want to stay at home This former mobile phone seller claims to have founded his company to help the elderly remain in their homes without having to move to nursing homes. He was inspired to do this after his own father-in-law, who suffered from Alzheimer's, had to enter a residence. Yingwei says the conditions there were so deficient that he wanted to ensure that other people could avoid this type of institution for as long as possible. His small company currently employs four people, but he claims there is a possibility that it will expand as demand increases. There is still no reliable data on the size of this sector—which, according to operators, has experienced explosive growth in recent years—but the value company Sinolink valued it at about US$7.4 billion in 2025. And this figure is expected to continue growing given the evolution of modern lifestyles. Zheng Ruizhi, another client of Yingwei who lives on the outskirts of northern Beijing, received him at the door with a big smile. "After retiring, I don't have many opportunities to socialize with other people," the 75-year-old woman told the BBC, whose son lives two hours away. She was recovering from a recent injury that, according to her, made everyday tasks difficult. But Yingwei's arrival, whom she calls her "dear boy," cheered her up. "I call you 'darling' because I care about you a lot. You really please me with your heart. I also admire and trust you. When you help me, I have no worries or fear," she said. However, the services offered by companies in this sector are not limited to home visits. Liu Yanyan, for example, 23, works as a "medical companion." She is in charge of taking patients to the doctor or collecting the results of their tests or their medications at the city hospitals, which can be intimidating due to their large size and bureaucracy. "Some of my clients are young people who came to Beijing to build a career. They may not have friends here or it may be uncomfortable for them to ask their colleagues to accompany them due to the concept of social reciprocity in Chinese culture," she explained. "If I accompany you for free to a medical appointment, you might feel obliged to invite me to eat or to a cinema ticket afterwards." She said that because of this, many people in modern Chinese society tend to remain isolated. "That's why they hire someone like me to accompany them to the hospital. If they had to go alone, they might feel fear or anxiety." At the heart of many businesses that offer solutions to combat loneliness in China is a simple proposal: human connection. Teresa Kuan said that some people prefer the option of venting with a complete stranger in exchange for money. If it is a companion for whom money has been paid, the relationship is not exactly equal. It is a service relationship, so there is no need to deal with the unpredictability of a conventional relationship. What happens with friendship is that it can be unpredictable. You never know when someone might disappoint you. Instead, in a service relationship, you have a clearer idea of what to expect. Support "Emotional support" Wang Zhoutao runs a hiking business to help people who want to climb the famous Huangshan mountain in Anhui province, China. "We provide emotional support to them, such as cheering them up, taking their photos, or telling them jokes. In reality, it is a service based on companionship," he said. The ex-soldier added that he usually goes up the mountain with clients between 10 and 15 days a month. When his schedule is full, he can do it up to 30 times a month. He gave the example of a young woman he accompanied on one occasion who felt marginalized at work. "She felt useless and wanted to prove something to herself," he said. We started climbing, but it was a hard walk because it was very hot and we sweated a lot. There were moments when she wanted to give up, but I told her: "If you give up now and you can't climb this mountain, how will you face anything else in life?" I constantly encouraged her. After reaching the top, she sent him a long message of thanks describing her inner journey and expressing her gratitude. "The pace of life is too fast nowadays. People suffer pressure from work, relationships, and family expectations," she said. "I think my clients are mostly people who feel a void in their relationships or who have suffered some setback." Human connection is a need, but in a society that fights against loneliness, it has now also become a commodity. Back in her small apartment in Beijing, Yang feels more comfortable now that Yingwei has solved her problem so that the air conditioning works properly. "It is good to have someone close when you need them, someone with whom you can share your most intimate thoughts," she said. "I had problems with loneliness, but I have overcome them. I am quite happy." "I cannot lose Yingwei and the others. Everyone has a good heart." This article was originally written in English and we used an artificial intelligence tool to translate it. A BBC journalist reviewed the text before its publication. More information on how we use AI. - Download the new BBC World Service app. Choose BBC News Mundo and receive news alerts, documentaries, and analysis, all in one place. Important: the new application is not available in the UK or the United States. - You can also follow us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, and our WhatsApp channel. - And don't forget to subscribe here to our newsletter to receive a special selection of our best content every Friday.