## Shanghai Elderly Care Facility Employs Smart Technology to Enhance Resident Safety and Service Quality
Shortly after midnight at the Jinyang elderly care home in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area, nurse Zhao Zhanping received an urgent mobile alert indicating abnormal blood pressure readings for resident Wang Mingxiang in Bed No. 2, Room 324. Zhao responded immediately. The initial detection came not from staff, but from a smart mattress beneath the resident. Simultaneously, Wang’s family received the same notification on their devices. Due to this real-time monitoring, Wang, who has a history of cerebral infarction, received prompt hospital treatment.
Smart mattresses are one component of the comprehensive intelligent system integrated into Jinyang’s operations. A large electronic display in the lobby functions as an information hub, providing real-time oversight of residents’ health, clearly indicating risk locations, times, and intervention statuses.
“While this system serves as the brain of our operations, the smart devices installed throughout the facility function like eyes and skin—constantly sensing and feeding information back to the center,” explained Chen Xue, Director of the care home. Chen further detailed to People’s Daily, “Bathrooms and showers are high-risk areas for falls. The ceiling lights here double as ‘electronic radars’ as they illuminate the room and also detect falls or other emergencies.” Shanghai faces significant demographic aging.
Municipal plans target establishing at least 100 smart care homes by 2025’s end, with over 70 already operational. “The original purpose of building smart elderly care homes in Shanghai is to enhance institutional efficiency and improve service delivery through technology,” stated Li Sujin, Deputy Director of the elderly services division at the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. Li explained that Shanghai is expanding tech-enabled elderly care products within institutions, building a more professional, efficient, and integrated smart care ecosystem.
For caregiver Chen Juxiu, this digital shift yields tangible benefits. While assisting 96-year-old Zhong Jianmei with bathing, Chen activated a button prompting a robotic transfer device, co-developed by the home and a tech firm. The device automatically lowered its arms and footrests to lift Zhong from her wheelchair into the shower. “Assisting seniors with limited mobility used to be really challenging,” Chen recalled. “I remember once it took four caregivers to lift a 90-kilogram resident. Now, with this robot, one person can safely complete the task—less physical strain, lower risk.”
Jinyang is managed by Puhui Pension Service, overseeing 16 facilities. “Staff shortages and an aging workforce are real challenges,” said General Manager Gao Wanjie. “With smart devices taking over repetitive, physically demanding tasks, our caregivers can focus more on providing personalized, high-quality services, and on addressing the emotional needs of our residents.”
Resident He Junmian, 95, an early occupant of the upgraded facility, observed the difference: “Caregivers now have more time to talk with us, and the service feels warmer and more attentive.” Her traditional call bell was replaced by a visual intercom system for easier staff contact. Innovations range from obstacle-avoidance wheelchairs and robot servers to AI-powered chess companions, introducing diverse age-friendly technologies benefiting residents and staff.
“With continued innovation and new technologies being applied, we envision future care homes evolving into elderly care industry hubs,” Gao added. Director Chen Xue noted the average monthly fee at Jinyang is approximately 5,000 yuan ($694), a mid-to-low range for Shanghai. “Our prices haven’t increased with the smart upgrades,” she clarified. However, Chen emphasized: “When using smart technologies, we must always take into account how residents feel. Technology can never fully replace the warmth of human care. A truly intelligent care home must combine efficiency with empathy.”