Song created to popularize senior care profession

The city's first song dedicated to senior care workers was released in Yangpu District on Tuesday to mark the Chongyang festival this Wednesday.

The festival, which falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, is a day when respects are paid to the country's senior citizens.

Aptly titled "Guardian," the song was composed by young musician Zheng Wei and is sung by a group of senior care workers in their 20s who work at the Yangpu District Social Welfare Home. The song’s music video features the real experiences of senior care workers in the city. 

"We want to change the stereotypical ideas around senior care workers, who need recognition and respect from society," said Qiao Yihao, deputy director of the home. 

It is not an easy job for senior care homes to hire staff and make workers stay, and young senior carer numbers are particularly low around the city. 

"We hope the song will establish a new image of senior care workers and help the public better understand and pay attention to this career," he said. 

"I never expected there would be a song created for senior care workers, and I hope it will encourage and give power to more in the profession around the city," Zhang Zhiping, who has been working in the industry for nine years, said.

Many senior workers burst into tears while watching the music video. 

"This work requires patience, physical strength and sense of responsibility, which most people don't understand," Luo Xin, a senior care worker in her 20s, said.

"We work eight to 12 hours a day, and night shifts are common. Sometimes, seniors get angry when we can't quite get what they're saying, and we have to try our best to make them happy when they refuse to eat meals, which is not easy."

Luo said most of her classmates were scared away within one week of interning.

The job requires good communication skills and professional knowledge around how to take care of seniors.