TITLE:
Urban Acupuncture and Co-Production: A Study on the Effective Provision of Community-Based Elderly Care Services—The Case of the “Senior Hair Salon” in District X of City C
AUTHORS:
Liping Wang, Huilin Zhang, Meixiu Cheng, Yuying Zeng
KEYWORDS:
Co-Production, Community Pension Service, Senior Hair Salon, Urban Acupuncture
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.12 No.1,
March
19,
2024
ABSTRACT: Developing a
community-based elderly care supply model characterized by multi-agent participation, multifunctional
services, and comprehensive process management is a crucial strategy for
enhancing the efficiency of elderly care service production, invigorating
elderly care spaces, and guaranteeing the progress
of elderly care service projects. This paper addresses issues such as the
diminished role of the service population in community elderly care provision,
the disorganized activation of unused spaces, and the challenges in maintaining
operational continuity. Focusing on the “Senior Hair Salon” in Z community of X
district, C city, the study synthesizes “co-production” and “urban
acupuncture” theories to establish an analytical framework centered on space,
characters, and connections. The paper conducts a thorough examination of the
“Senior Hair Salon” service model, discussing the role of key individuals, the
utilization of sensitive spaces, and the management of essential connections.
The research identifies the pivotal role of the elderly in community-based
elderly care provision—not merely as service recipients but also as leaders and
coordinators in service activities. Based on these findings, the paper
describes the site selection and adaptation of the service facility according
to the elderly’s needs and outlines the formation of a collaborative operation
model involving various stakeholders centered around the elderly community.
This model prompts the district government, community neighborhood committees,
volunteer service teams, and community residents to engage in a multi-agent
co-production process. To maintain the uninterrupted functioning of the Z
community’s “Senior Hair Salon” service, it is imperative to establish a dual
incentive mechanism for the elderly and volunteer barbers, fostering their
sustained contribution of community-oriented behavior. Additionally, developing
an interconnected network between the Z community service point and the other
five points is crucial for facilitating resource sharing and coordination among
these various service points.