Innovating care for an aging China

"When I first entered the field, the eldercare industry was still in its infancy, and policies were limited," Jing said.

He began by offering consulting services, studying regulations and operational models, and learning through trial and error."There were moments when inexperience led to costly mistakes," he said.

After nearly five years of preparation, Jing opened his first elder-care facility in Tianjin in 2014. The home focused on families with urgent, non-negotiable needs — seniors living with disabilities, Alzheimer's, or other forms of dementia.

"Finding our first client, learning how to properly care for someone with cognitive impairment or severe behavioral symptoms, ensuring their safety while protecting other residents — in the beginning, every single step was difficult," he said.

Living, not housing

Today, Time Light Care operates more than 1,800 beds across over a dozen facilities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, southwest China — including Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Chongqing — as well as parts of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Through partnerships with local governments, the group also provides custodial services for seniors who live alone, have limited income, or lack family support.

What sustained the company, Jing believes, was not rapid expansion, but trust built patiently over time.

"Clients would invite me to their homes for meals and family gatherings," he said."To truly serve them, you have to become the most trusted life partner for each family."

For Jing, the essence of quality care lies in empathy and character.

"If I put myself in the shoes of a family member, what matters most is not how many certificates a caregiver holds or how many years of experience they have," he said.