In China, People Are Paying to Feel Less Lonely
Monday, October 19, 2026101 words2 minutes444 reads
In China, some people pay someone to visit them. Yang is 91 and lives near Beijing. After her husband died, her home felt very quiet. Now a small team brings her hot meals twice a day. The visitors also stay and talk with her.
Young people use these services too. Some pay a helper to go to hospital with them. Their family or friends may live far away. Others pay someone to walk with them in the mountains.
These visits can help people feel less lonely. But a paid helper cannot take the place of every close friend or family member.
