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Barry Peterson: 88-year-old Sun Wangshou is very well taken care of. She lives with her daughter, her grandson and his family in Beijing. That's the way the elderly have traditionally been cared for in China.
Barry Peterson: But modern times have created a lot of economic opportunities for China's young people, often far from home, and that means leaving the elderly behind. So here in the city of Chongqing, they had an idea, making a rather unique promise to get people to help their elderly neighbors.
Barry Peterson: The idea is simplicity itself, call it the Age Bank. People rack up hours, noting them in a logbook. They give their time caring for senior citizens - hours they can withdraw in their golden years, as the next generation takes care of them.
Barry Peterson: This community leader came up with the idea. "There were a lot of retirees in this neighborhood," he told us, "they weren't very busy and the very elderly needed help."
Barry Peterson: It can be anything from running a quick errand to just stopping in for a daily chat.
Barry Peterson: Wang Tingru is 92 years old.
Barry Peterson: What do the helpers do to help you through the day?
Wang Tingru: They treat me like I am their mother, she says, cooking meals, buying groceries.
Barry Peterson: 61-year-old Mrs. Cai does this work with an eye on her future. "I've been depositing time in the 'bank'", she says, "so one day people will help me."
Barry Peterson: Like other countries, China has an aging population that is growing fast. But here, there is no government safety net---few nursing homes. Families have always taken care of their own.
Barry Peterson: But to these elderly, the Age Bank has made volunteers feel like family.
Barry Peterson: And kept Wang so spry, she can teach me the "China two-step", and so happy because even without family, thanks to the Age Bank, she has the next best thing: people who care.
Barry Peterson: You are very good!
Barry Peterson: Barry Peterson, CBS News, Chongqiong, China.
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