Music brings joy to elderly care communities

Young therapist bridges generation gap to give a little harmony and compassion to seniors

In December last year, China issued a document on deepening the reform and development of elderly care services, emphasizing the need to strengthen professional support for institutional elderly care. In early 2025, the State Council Information Office released a report on elderly care services in China, revealing that there are currently 404,000 elderly care institutions and facilities across the country. To support the growth of this sector, many young people, particularly those born in the 1990s and even 2000s, are choosing to pursue careers in elderly care.

2025 marks the 11th year that Wang Hanlin, a "post-90s" professional, has been working in the elderly care industry. He is currently a music therapist at the Chengxin oldage community in Beijing's Chaoyang district, and also serves as a designated clinical supervisor within the field.

When filling out his university application, Wang Hanlin chose "music therapy". After graduating from the Central Conservatory of Music in 2014, he decided to enter the elderly care sector. During his second year at university, Wang Hanlin was introduced to music therapy for the elderly in a clinical practice course. The moment he entered the elderly care community, he felt as though he had found his true calling: "I'm not sure why, but I felt so comfortable being with the elderly. This feeling was something I never experienced when working with children with special needs or other groups of people with disabilities." After that first clinical session, Wang Hanlin continued to explore the field and ultimately decided to dedicate himself to music therapy focused on the health and well-being of the elderly.