Abstract
The ageing population presents a global challenge, particularly in China, which has the world's largest elderly population. Traditional family-based care models are increasingly unsustainable. This study proposes a novel blockchain-based system integrated with a “time bank” model to facilitate decentralized, community-based mutual aid elderly care within smart Chinese communities. The system employs a multilayer blockchain architecture (public, consortium, private chains) to ensure data security, transparency, and trust. It introduces a decentralized “time credit” exchange mechanism where younger or healthier individuals earn credits by providing care services, which can be redeemed later. We detail the system's design, including its consensus mechanism and smart contracts, and demonstrate how blockchain's features—decentralization, immutability, and transparency—address critical issues in current time banking, such as lack of trust, data insecurity, and inefficient credit exchange. The proposed model offers a credible, scalable, and efficient framework to supplement formal elderly care services, potentially alleviating societal pressure and improving care quality for the ageing population in China.
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