Buddhist temple provides elderly care(3)

Shi Youyuan (front), head abbot of Guangde Temple, leads lay Buddhists to worship. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"In Western countries, Christian churches have strong social power to establish nursing homes and provide hospice care. It should also be practiced in China to relieve social burdens," he says.

According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, China has only 5 million beds in geriatric hospitals and nursing institutes for its approximately 200 million senior citizens, including 37.5 million that have partly lost their ability to function in daily life.

Abbot Shi says the temple will not charge those who want stay in the nursing home.

"The funds are raised through donations from our believers and me giving lectures. People who are willing to stay in the nursing home do not need to pay a penny as long as they can follow our disciplines," he says.

The temple has volunteers helping to take care of the elderly. When the volunteers get old and choose to live in the temple, they will be taken care of by a new generations of volunteers.

Shi says this is a demonstration of give and receive.

For example, 71-year-old Zhang Huifen has been living in the temple for seven years. Before she moved there, she was a volunteer and took care of several elders before they passed away.

Although she is still capable of taking care of herself, volunteers help her clean her room regularly.

"Everyone helps each other here. I like the atmosphere," she says.