Taking care of old people seems an unlikely choice for many young people. However, this is what Tashi Wangmo, a 34-year-old from Barkam, Sichuan, decided to do at the age of 17.
"I saw that Barkam Nursing Home was recruiting(招聘) in 2008, and I thought this was the best way to realize my dream," Tashi Wangmo said. Tashi Wangno grows up as an orphan(孤儿) supported by those around her so she has always wanted to give back to society.
Tashi Wangmo's love for the elderly she cares for has grown day by day. "When I first started here, I was just a young girl while some of the old people were in their 50s or 60s. They had no children, and I had no parents, so we kept each other company(互相陪伴) and loved each other," she said.
In 2023, Tashi Wangmo was chosen as an NPC deputy(全国人大代表). When realizing that the senior care industry(老年护理行业), especially in mountainous areas, has not received enough attention from society, she called on more young people to care for the elderly. "How we treat seniors now is how we are going to be treated when we are old," she said. She noticed that the key to getting along with old people is that you need to treat them like kids.
She also said that being an NPC deputy was not as difficult as it might seem. "NPC deputies are a bridge between the country and the people," Tashi Wangmo said. "I want to bring hope back to the people from the mountains."
