Xizang nursing home celebrates seniors on quake anniversary

Elders in Chad village of Dinggye county, Xizang autonomous region, had a group birthday celebration on Tuesday, a year after a magnitude-6.8 earthquake upended their community on Jan 7, 2025.

Despite the winter chill outside, a warm and happy scene filled the inside of the village's nursing home. Seniors gathered for a celebration with local ethnic dranyan or Tibetan guitar songs, Tibetan dice games, chatting, and a movie screening. Lunchtime filled the air with the smell of pastries and butter tea.

Basang Dondrub, a village official, said this nursing home provides essentials such as living assistance, healthcare services, and entertainment. "With more young and middle-aged residents of Chad village working away from home, the challenges of supporting left-behind and solitary elderly individuals have become increasingly apparent in recent years," he said.