Elderly people in China are turning to paid companionship services to combat loneliness, with some hiring young adults to visit their homes, prepare meals, offer emotional support and help with everyday activities.
The growing practice offers older people an alternative to living alone without regular family support, while giving younger workers an opportunity to earn money by providing companionship and practical assistance.
One of the beneficiaries is Yang, a 91-year-old widow living outside Beijing, whose deteriorating eyesight from glaucoma had made daily life increasingly difficult. Her loneliness had become so severe that she considered voluntary euthanasia before a companionship service began providing regular visits.
Wang Yingwei, who runs the service, and his team visit Yang twice daily, bringing her hot meals, helping around her home and keeping her company. Brandspur Brand News reports that the service charges less than half the cost of employing a caregiver, offering an alternative for elderly people who need regular attention but may struggle with the expense of conventional care.
Yingwei, a former mobile phone salesman, established the business after his father-in-law, who had Alzheimer’s disease, moved into a nursing home. The experience prompted him to develop a service that could help older people remain in their homes for longer while receiving assistance and companionship.
He describes his workers as community children, reflecting their approach of treating elderly clients with the attention they would give their own parents.
Yang’s experience is not isolated. Zheng Ruizhi, 75, also relies on the visits to bring more social interaction into her life following retirement. With fewer opportunities to meet people, she has welcomed the companionship and affectionately refers to Yingwei as her dear boy.
The industry extends beyond home visits. Some providers accompany clients to hospitals, help them navigate medical appointments, collect prescriptions and retrieve test results. Others offer recreational companionship, including hiking partners.
Liu Yanyan, a 23-year-old medical escort, said some of her clients are young adults who have few friends nearby or feel uncomfortable asking colleagues for help. Her work illustrates how paid companionship is serving people across different age groups, not only the elderly.
Teresa Kuan, an associate professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said these arrangements offer predictable relationships without some of the uncertainties associated with ordinary friendships.
The industry’s financial scale remains difficult to establish, although securities firm Sinolink estimated its value at $7.4 billion in 2025.
For Yang, however, the value of the arrangement goes beyond money. The regular visits have eased the isolation that had made her later years increasingly difficult, giving her practical support and human contact.
Her experience highlights the emotional needs that can accompany ageing, particularly for people living alone or dealing with declining health. As paid companionship services develop in China, they are offering a model of support that combines elements of caregiving, friendship and family-like attention.
