Yu gives a haircut to a client. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

After replacing the bathwater four times, the job was done. Yu noticed tears in the old man's eyes. "I understood why he was bad-tempered," she said. "It's his illness that made him moody, not us."

Yu always tries to build good relationships with her clients. Many see her as a daughter. They remind Yu of her father's situation. He has been bedridden since a car accident. "For me, the interaction with them is more precious than money," Yu said.

Assisted bathing services for elders can also be found in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Chongqing.

Huo Minhan and Wang Zongzan contributed to this story.