An Analysis of Strategies for Enhancing the Well-being of the Elderly Group through Smart Elderly Care Services and Their Cross-regional Promotion Paths

Abstract

Against the backdrop of global aging, this paper proposes optimization strategies for smart elderly care services based on empirical research in Qiqihar, China, with the Kano model as the core. By correcting supply-demand mismatches, enhancing community experiences, and establishing multi-party collaborative models, it forms cost-effective and sustainable optimization strategies, providing actionable practical pathways for similar regions like Russia's Far East to address aging challenges.

Keywords: Smart elderly care services; Supply-demand mismatch; Kano model

Introduction

By the end of 2024, the global population aged 60 and above reached approximately 1.2 billion, with projections indicating this figure will rise to 2 billion by 2050（United Nations, 2024）. Traditional elderly care models struggle to address complex demands, making smart elderly care services a crucial solution（Chenxi Xiang,2025）. However, challenges in their development include mismatches between market needs and elderly requirements, inefficient resource allocation, and lack of proactive collaboration among stakeholders, all of which undermine operational efficiency（Clifton,2020、Bekerom,2021、Jinpeng Wu，2022）. This paper explores pathways to align supply and demand for smart elderly care, aiming to advance the development of more resilient and inclusive global elderly care strategies.

Comparative Analysis of Domestic and International Research and Practices in Smart Elderly Care

In the field of smart elderly care services, international products have demonstrated outstanding performance in product innovation and technological integration, with advanced technologies in areas such as assistive devices（Qian Yang，2017）, nursing robots（BASSIE，2024）, and age-friendly design（HOUG，2022）. However, they face challenges such as functional fragmentation, data security, and ethical constraints. China, driven by policy, focuses on application exploration, with in-depth practices in areas like remote monitoring（XinMa，2024）and service systems（Ailan Wang，2024）. Yet, it is generally limited by challenges such as single-function capabilities（Huanhuan Liu，2017）, incomplete core technologies, and an imperfect ecosystem. Together, these reveal the core bottlenecks in smart elderly care services, particularly in accurately matching user needs, ensuring data security, and building a sustainable service system.

III. Challenges in Smart Elderly Care Services for Similar Cities in China and Russia

Qiqihar is located in Heilongjiang Province, China, with a population of 5.06 million, and the proportion of elderly people aged 60 and above is 29.2%, indicating a higher degree of aging than the national average, while its economy remains at a relatively low level domestically. Based on the Kano model analysis of 967 samples, the main obstacles to smart elderly care services are: digital literacy barriers (44.6%) due to complex design and operation, unclear feedback, leading to resistance from elderly users; economic constraints (14.8%) caused by high pricing and payment mismatches, excluding the elderly population; perceived uselessness (15.7%) due to exaggerated promotion and demand disconnection, resulting in low recognition; and distrust barriers (7.9%) caused by data opacity, lack of localized services, and imperfect trust mechanisms, leading to hesitation.

Aging cities in Russia, such as Vladivostok and Khabarovsk (with proportions of residents aged 60 and above exceeding the national average at 24.7% and 21.1% respectively), exhibit moderate to lower economic performance nationwide and similarly face challenges of young population outflow and regional development imbalance. Therefore, this smart elderly care service strategy holds universal applicability for similar cities in Russia.

Optimization Strategies for Smart Elderly Care Services

The challenges in smart elderly care services, such as product pricing misalignment, demand disconnection, and trust deficiency, have become critical pain points. Based on field research, the strategy should focus on aligning the actual needs of the elderly population with supply-demand matching. Optimization strategies should be proposed from the following dimensions to bridge the 'last mile' in service implementation.

First, promote the upgrading of the supply side. Prioritize the development of "charismatic attribute" services based on the Kano model, designing products specifically tailored to the physiological characteristics of the elderly. Simultaneously, develop scenario-based solutions for sudden issues faced by the elderly; optimize service processes, prioritize the establishment of service points, and construct a sustainable business model based on customer feedback.

Second, focus on elderly needs services. Accurately cover digitally disadvantaged groups by organizing experiential activities in communities to enhance seniors' digital literacy; eliminate concerns through establishing community service points and trial usage experiences, while encouraging flexible models such as tiered packages and equipment rentals; provide service training courses and after-sales support to help seniors achieve "willingness to use and ability to use".

Third, strengthen end-to-end coordination. Governments should develop policies with clear standards, extending incentives like fiscal subsidies to communities and rural areas. They must define the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders—government, enterprises, and communities—and establish a resource-sharing platform. By leveraging community channels and adopting elderly-friendly methods, services and usage knowledge can be effectively promoted. Additionally, drawing on international low-cost, easily scalable models while adapting them to local conditions, we can create a sustainable smart elderly care system rooted in grassroots communities.

Future and Prospects

5.1 Feasibility and Significance of Promotion

Qiqihar identified core contradictions through 967 samples, which align closely with the pain points of elderly care in Russia's Far East. It provides a' non-high-end technology-dependent 'solution, rapidly implemented through community service centers and medical institutions without requiring large-scale infrastructure reconstruction. The approach is compatible with local fiscal resources, meets the core needs of the elderly, and serves as a practical model for Russia's Far East and similar cities.

5.2 Expected Outcomes

Enterprises leverage the Kano model and age-friendly design to develop products that are more appealing and safer for the elderly; communities organize multiple experiential activities to encourage seniors to adopt and master these products; governments should introduce policies and provide support to integrate resource chains. By combining these three approaches and implementing localized adaptations at low cost, the system effectively bridges the "last mile" in delivering smart services.

5.3 Effect Evaluation

The effectiveness evaluation is designed to address supply-demand mismatches. It assesses product relevance through metrics like elderly satisfaction and usage rates, evaluates service accessibility via community participation rates and service point efficiency, and determines sustainability based on policy coverage, cross-departmental coordination, and operational costs. The core benchmark for measuring success is the actual improvement in supply-demand mismatches.

Conclusion

This study transcends the limitations of single-city research, addressing the shared challenges faced by aging societies and lower-middle-income regions, while tackling the universal challenges in elderly care services across low-and middle-income countries. Its core approach not only provides replicable practical references for cities like Russia but also offers actionable strategies for developing nations to bridge the digital divide. The promotion and continuous refinement of this solution will help reduce the mismatch between elderly care supply and demand, foster more inclusive and sustainable aging strategies, and ultimately contribute practical wisdom for cross-border experience sharing and collaborative responses to population aging.