Background
On January 22, 2025, the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau and the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission issued a notice regarding the "Pilot Plan for Elderly Companion Services in Shanghai." The document points out that, to expand and optimize the supply of elderly services and better meet the diverse and high-quality companion service needs of the elderly, Shanghai began exploring the professionalization and standardization of the companion profession in 2024. Pilot programs for companion services are planned to be launched in nine districts within Shanghai.
On February 24, 2025, at 9:00 AM, the first batch of elderly service companion training in Hongkou District officially kicked off at the East Campus of Shanghai Nanhu Vocational and Technical College. The training is hosted by the School of Nursing and Health at Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University. Key attendees included Xu Qihua, Executive Vice President of the Shanghai Elderly Service and Aging Industry Association; Shen Jingwei, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Hongkou District Civil Affairs Bureau; and Li Xiaoguang, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, affiliated with Tongji University. Zhang Jie, Founder and Dean of the School of Nursing and Health at Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University, delivered an important speech.
During the opening ceremony, Dean Zhang first introduced the history of Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University and provided an overview of the Shanghai companion training program. He then detailed the objectives and plans for the Hongkou District training, which included enhancing professional skills, strengthening communication techniques, learning relevant laws and regulations, and scheduling practical exercises. He emphasized: “We aim to not only train companions’ professional skills but also focus on their professional qualities and humanistic care capabilities, so that each companion can become a warm guide for elderly patients on their medical journey.”
Elderly services are an important part of people’s livelihoods, and training companions is a key element in improving the quality of these services. The companion profession is gradually gaining national attention and recognition. The training program provides strong policy support for the development of the companion industry and offers elderly individuals more reliable and convenient medical companion services.
Summary
The opening ceremony marked the beginning of efforts to improve the quality of elderly services. The School of Nursing and Health at Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University actively utilizes its professional strengths to contribute to social services, exploring and participating in the development of companion services. Moving forward, the school will continue to enhance the effectiveness of skill talent development, actively explore the construction of a high-skill talent training mechanism, and play a vital supporting role as one of the first "New Type Technician Colleges," further cultivating companions who are adapted to new industry trends and elderly care models, thus improving the quality of rehabilitation and nursing talent training.
(Contributed by School of Nursing and Health
Edited and translated by Chi Zhang )
