As soon as the day dawned, Lu Shoufeng, a 55-year-old villager in Liu Pi Village, Liuji Township, Yucheng County, Henan Province, had already purchased from the supermarket and was ready to cook for the elderly. "Today, I want to make stewed chicken with potatoes and scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and the staple food is glutinous rice balls. This day is the ninth day of the third lunar month, the day when the Xiaoshan Canteen in Liu Pi Village is opened, and it is also the day when the "Village Doctor Class" begins.
Lu Shoufeng told the People's Daily health client reporter that this canteen, which carries the concept of "governing the family with filial piety", conforms to the habits of the old people in the village, and chooses to make a nutritious meal for the elderly on the nineth, nineteenth, and twenty-ninth days of each month. Lu Shoufeng skillfully peeled off the potatoes, and the evenly sized potato pieces were neatly stacked with the knife. "The old man has a bad stomach, and the potatoes are finely chopped to digest. ”
The old people of Liu Pi Village eat in the Xiaoshan Canteen. Photo by Han Jinxu
Lu Yingmin, secretary of the party branch of Liupi Village, explained to reporters the origin of the Xiaoshan canteen. The young people in the village go out to work, and the number of left-behind elderly people is increasing day by day, although the children will also send money to the family regularly, but the old people are always reluctant to eat well. In order to improve the dietary situation of the elderly villagers and allow them to enjoy hot and delicious meals in their old age, the township has made overall arrangements for the opening of the Xiaoshan Canteen in Liupi Village in July 2023.
The funds required for the operation of the canteen come from donations from villagers. No matter how big or small, it is a heart, some generously donated thousands of yuan, and some took out their own rice and eggs. "Due to financial constraints, the current canteen can only accommodate more than 30 people. At present, it is stipulated that the elderly over 80 years old in the village can come to eat, and in the future, it will be expanded to the elderly over 75 years old. Lu Yingmin said.
The old people in Liupi Village flipped through the popular science manual of high blood pressure health knowledge. Photo by Han Jinxu
The day before each canteen opens, Lu Yingmin posts a notice in the village's WeChat group and recruits volunteers for the day. "The villagers are enthusiastic about signing up, and those who fail to register this time will keep their places until next time, which will not dampen the enthusiasm of everyone. ”
Before the meal, Wang Qingfeng, a village doctor in Liupi Village, explained the common sense of chronic disease prevention and treatment to the elderly present. "Elderly people with high blood pressure should reduce salt intake and avoid eating salty foods. Wang Qingfeng revealed that the village will hold a health education activity every two or three months, and chose to carry out science popularization before the meal because the elderly are concentrated at this time and the coverage is the largest. He explained the common sense of chronic disease prevention and treatment in easy-to-understand language, and guided the elderly to develop healthy living habits.
Before the meal, Wang Qingfeng, a village doctor in Liupi Village, popularized the health knowledge of hypertension. Photo by Han Jinxu
Smoke curls and spatulas fly, and soon steaming rice balls and dishes with good color and flavor are placed on the table. The old people sat around a table in twos and threes, chatting and laughing while enjoying the food. An old man with silver hair sighed: "This canteen allows us to get together for a hot meal, the dishes are rich and varied, the portions are full, and there are old friends to chat with, which is really comfortable from the bottom of my heart!"
The filial piety canteen not only realizes the villagers' desire to be filial to their elders, but also becomes a link that connects the hearts of the whole village and enhances the friendship between neighbors. "I hope that the Xiaoshan Canteen will not just be a place to eat, but will further develop into a second home for the elderly in the village. Lu Yingmin envisioned that in the future, Liupi Village will expand the multiple functions of the canteen and make it a comprehensive service platform for the elderly integrating health education, leisure and entertainment, and emotional exchange.