Shanghai Municipality on Thursday initiated an aid campaign to help local elderly people celebrate the National Day, which falls on October 1.

Nearly 100,000 senior citizens without financial support will be given 460 yuan (US$57.5) allowance per month from September and enjoy medical service partly free of charge.

The campaign will not only benefit the elderly people, but also over 1million families members of them, according to local civil affairs officials.

There are over 2.66 million senior citizens over 60 years old in the city, accounting for 19.9 percent of the total population. More than 50,000 of them live in the city's 500 welfare homes.

The municipal government and the public have paid special attention to the senior citizens during major holidays such as the Spring Festival, the May Day, the National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival, offering them dinners, presents and entertainment.

Experts of local hospitals often give advice on health care for the elderly and dispense creams for hand care. Staffs from the nursery schools in districts across Shanghai also provide timely medical aid for senior residents when they are ill.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2006)