Shanghai's first hospital-run rest home has been set up at Nanshan Hospital, providing medical and psychological services to some 90 residents with an average age over 80.

People living there yesterday praised the rest home's medical background, a strong attraction over ordinary care homes.

The hospital has designated three of its seven floors for 156 rest-home beds, which won approval by the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau last year.

The hospital establishes a health database for every elderly resident, detailing medical histories and medication. Staff with special training in elderly nursing measure blood pressure everyday and run weekly physical checkups.

"Doctors visit every elderly person twice a day to give medication while also detecting any small problems," said Niu Zhenguo, Nanshan's president. "We also have a special nurse to talk with the elderly and give them psychological help everyday, since many elderly people have depression or a gloomy outlook due to poor health or age."

So far, no residents have suffered a stroke or heart attack, and bedridden patients have no bedsores.

The monthly cost for Nanshan is 850 yuan (US$112) to 900 yuan, while the average cost of normal rest homes is between 600 to 1,500 yuan, officials said.

Officials from local health authorities said medical facility operating rest home can be a positive try in promoting adjacent and convenient medical service to the elderly.

(Shanghai Daily August 17, 2007)