POLICE OFFICERS in Ma'anshan, Anhui province in East China, recently received an emergency phone call from a 70-year-old man in the early hours of the morning. The old man said he had fallen and needed assistance. When police officers came to help him, however, they found the old man had prepared tea and wanted to chat. The old man's only aim was to get some company. People.cn commented on Thursday:

When people encounter a danger, they turn to the police for help. Dialing police hotline is the first choice for most people at an emergency. That the old man called the police just to "chat", is unbelievable.

Yet our aging society means more elderly people living in cities are experiencing loneliness and suffering. Despite the government taking measures to help them, they still need love and care.