Innovative technologies, solutions and services benefiting elderly citizens were under the spotlight at an exhibition which kicked off at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in the Pudong New Area on Tuesday.

The three-day International Exhibition of Senior Care, Rehabilitation Medicine and Healthcare Shanghai 2023, also known as China Aid, brought together more than 400 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions to display their products and services.

Covering 40,000 square meters, the exhibition is expected to attract more than 40,000 visitors from home and abroad.

The displays cover six sections – senior care services, nursing services, rehabilitative devices, rehabilitation and medical treatment, health management and livable architecture.

After 23 years of development, the event has become a world-class comprehensive industry expo for the well-being of elderly people.

The event, hosted by the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau and Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai, dates back to 2000.

This year, a number of innovative inventions debuted at the event, and the number of large health companies and chain agencies presenting at the event hit a record in recent years.

Moreover, the number of overseas participating companies has grown significantly, and nearly 70 businesses from Japan are attending the event this year.

They brought diversified products such as bubble shower machines and short-wave therapeutic apparatus.

The exhibition is the ideal place for those seeking more intelligent, convenient and design-oriented senior-care products.

A tricycle designed for those suffering from spinal injuries or even hemiplegia enables them to cycle at home, while an AI voice and braille rice cooker ensured a life of dignity for visually impaired people as they can cook without the aid of others via intelligent voice control and human body sensing functions.

Visitors to the exhibition can also inspect a companion Shiba inu doll that can slow the process of cognitive disorders, a device that aids in putting on socks, and a fully automatic urine test toilet.

There are also electric nursing beds, ride-on robots, an intelligent ring that helps improve sleep quality and skin health, and disinfection devices at the event.

An exclusive area, "Memory Garden," designed for elderly people with cognitive disorders, was set up at the exhibition for the first time.

Featuring a giant floral landscape, it comprises a cafe, a photo exhibition and a film screening area.

"We hope to create a warm, natural, comfortable and soothing area with a healing atmosphere for seniors," said Qin Yuemei, a floral landscape designer.

"More than 50 types of plants, including some aromatic ones, are featured, and old photos are displayed to evoke the memories of elderly citizen.

"We also encourage seniors to participate in some DIY activities like making plant works here to enrich their experience," she added.

A display area covering nearly 800 square meters features innovative rehabilitative and assistive devices, which are a highlight of the event.

A health and wellness simulation path with a slope, stairs and cobblestones connecting different function areas has been set up, enabling people to experience the human-oriented design of rehabilitative items.

Some expatriate visitors were attracted to booths launched by local hospitals showcasing traditional Chinese medicine and dental care, which is crucial for the life quality of the elderly.

A European visitor, who said he had suffered teeth problems for a long time, consulted a booth run by the Shanghai Ren'ai Hospital and received a primary check and booked follow-up treatment.

He said the cost for tooth implants is US$3,000 each in the West but it is much cheaper in China. He also had strong interest in TCM and had his pulse checked by TCM doctors on site.