In Suzhou High-tech Zone, Jiangsu Province, a post-00s university graduate, Zhang Jin, has been living in a single room in a nursing home for a rent of 200 yuan per month (RMB, the same below) and has been providing voluntary services continuously for more than two years. Zhang Jin described it as “more healing than the workplace.” Recently, this news has sparked attention on the internet.
According to a report by the Li Zhi News, Zhang Jin is a native of Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, who started working at a state-owned enterprise in Suzhou in 2023. She mentioned that when she first arrived in Suzhou, her monthly salary was about 5000 yuan, with nearly half of it going towards rent expenses. After deducting food and transportation costs, there was almost no savings left.
One day by chance, she saw a message on the internet platform recruiting young volunteers at a local nursing home: young people who meet the requirements can stay in the nursing home for a low rent of two to three hundred yuan by providing companion services.
The general manager of Suzhou Sogaoxin Yiyang Health Management Co., Ltd., Shen Rong, stated that the requirements for volunteers included being under 35 years old, not owning a house in Suzhou, and having certain special skills and hobbies. “At the time, there were forty to fifty applicants, and we ultimately selected five people.” Zhang Jin was selected from dozens of applicants.
After moving in, she is required to complete 45 hours of voluntary service each quarter, including chatting with the elderly, organizing activities, teaching finger dances, and participating in cultural and entertainment interactions. After completing the required hours, she can continue to enjoy the monthly rent of 200 yuan, staying in a single room of over 20 square meters in the nursing home. The market monthly rent for a similar unit is around 2000 yuan.
Zhang Jin stated that she initially signed up with a “give it a try” attitude. Now, more than two years have passed, and several young people who were initially selected have gradually moved out due to relationships or work reasons, leaving only her living there.
She believes that the atmosphere of interacting with the elderly is simpler and more direct. “Many things may go unnoticed at work, but here, the elderly express gratitude.” She said that the emotional value she gains here far exceeds the discounted rent. The care and companionship of the elderly have made her no longer feel lonely in a strange place, a warmth that money cannot buy. Through her interactions with the elderly, she has also learned many valuable life lessons, becoming more mature and resilient.
The nursing home stated that the project’s operation premise is not to affect the admission of elderly people in need and to strictly control the number of volunteers. The nursing home will recruit new volunteers after the Chinese New Year.
Currently, Zhang Jin maintains a dual identity of working and volunteering. She has no plans to move out for now and will make decisions based on future work and life arrangements. She also plans to invite eligible friends around her to experience it together.
Following the release of the related reports, discussions have sparked on social platforms.
Some netizens believe that this model not only alleviates the housing pressure on young people but also provides companionship for the elderly, making it a win-win choice. However, some people have raised concerns, fearing that elderly care resources may be occupied by non-elderly groups.
Public data shows that in recent years, the average starting salary for fresh graduates is generally below 6000 yuan, while in first-tier and some strong second-tier cities, the proportion of rent expenses to income often exceeds 40%.