The General Office of the State Council issued a circular on Nov 24, calling on efforts to meet the demands of the elderly while promoting a smart society.

Related departments should reserve traditional service amid their intelligent innovations, and solve problems that elderly people have encountered in using intelligent technologies, according to the circular.

Services for the elderly in an emergency should be improved. Under the regular epidemic prevention and control of COVID-19, the “health code” system should be more friendly for older people and “non-health code channels” should be provided. Service stations for elderly people should be established to meet their daily needs, such as buying basic necessities, ordering food deliveries and making appointments with doctors and taking medicines.

To facilitate daily transportation of the elderly, related departments are required to guide online car-hailing operators to improve their services. Orders could be made through phone calls, and priority should be given to elderly people.

Also, methods to make appointments with doctors should be improved for the elderly, including via telephones, through the internet and in the hospital.

Traditional financial services should be reserved to facilitate older people’s daily consumption. Cultural and sports activities, and administrative services also should be improved, the document added.