As the church in China experiences increasing tightening, social service is increasingly becoming a pathway for believers to share their faith and be light to their communities. While community outreach is wonderful, Christians need to have good training so that they can serve effectively. In this reprint from China Christian Daily, readers will learn about a training event to improve outreach to local elderly.
Church’s Elder Care Service Training Conducted in Shanghai
By John Zhang
July 22, 2024

The three-day Church’s Elder Care Service Training event, organized by the CCC and TSPM, concluded in Shanghai.
Churches across varied regions are providing diverse elderly care services to their local communities, said the social service department of the CCC and TSPM. However, they still face challenges such as difficulties in management and operations, insufficient professionalism among service personnel, and overall low service levels.
Held from July 15 to 18 in Shanghai, the training sessions were conducted in the management skills class and nursing skills class, with a total of 116 staff workers from 26 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities participating. The management skills class had 62 participants, and the nursing skills class had 54.
On July 16, participants from both classes attended lectures on “My Views on the Healthy Development of Elderly Services under the Rule of Law,” “Strategies for Enhancing Elderly Care Management and Service Quality,” and “Sharing Concepts on Elderly Care Institutions’ Nursing Services.” In the last course, participants understood how to provide high-quality elderly care in communities, learning systematic management and professional development for nursing positions.
On July 17, they learned about “Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment for the Elderly,” “Effective Communication and Conflict Resolution Techniques with the Elderly,” “The Application of Innovative Management and Technology in Elderly Services,” and “Stress Management and Self-Care Strategies for Elderly Care Workers.”
On July 18, the growth group of social workers for the elderly carried out activities. This segment was divided into four main themes: getting to know each other and establishing connections, elderly care knowledge and skills, teamwork and communication, and self-care and stress management. The participants were divided into 11 groups.
Over the years, the social service department has held 16 sessions of elderly care service management training and nine sessions of elderly care nursing skills training.
Translated by Abigail Wu.
Original: “Church’s Elder Care Service Training Conducted in Shanghai,” China Christian Daily. Edited and reposted with permission.
Image credit: Header: Jixiao Huang via UnSplash. In-text: The Social Service Department Of CCC & TSPM.
Are you enjoying a cup of good coffee or fragrant tea while reading the latest ChinaSource post? Consider donating the cost of that “cuppa” to support our content so we can continue to serve you with the latest on Christianity in China.