Practical Experience of Volunteer-Based Mutual Support Elderly Care Model: A Case Study of the Time Bank in Y Community, D City

With the acceleration of China’s ageing process, traditional elderly care models are increasingly unable to meet the growing demand. The volunteer-based mutual assistance elderly care model, especially the time bank, has gained attention as an innovative solution. Time banks operate on the principle of "I serve for everyone, and everyone serves for me," through the mechanism of time storage and service exchange, fostering mutual cooperation within communities. This paper examines the operation model, implementation outcomes, and role of the time bank in the mutual assistance elderly care system, taking the time bank in Y Community, D City, as a case study. The research finds that through accurate identification of older adult’s needs, resource integration, and multi-party collaboration, the time bank provides a variety of services, including health checks, daily living assistance, and emotional support, all delivered to older adults at their homes. These services have effectively improved older adults’s quality of life and enhanced their sense of social participation. The project has successfully promoted community autonomy and strengthened residents' mutual assistance awareness and social cohesion. The use of incentive measures, such as points systems, has mobilized volunteers’ enthusiasm, laying a solid foundation for the project's sustainability. This study concludes that the time bank model provides a sustainable solution to the challenges posed by population ageing and offers significant reference value for the implementation of similar programs in other regions. The integration of social resources and the emphasis on community collaboration represent a promising direction in the development of elderly care services.