This paper exemplifies how inclusive innovation could socially include and collaborate diverse stakeholders for innovation activities in the field of the elderly self-care service inChina. To establish a research foundation, a qualitative study paired with a semi-structured interview will be conducted and put on observation on 23 elderly’s Covid-19 (CVD) coping experience in one third-tier city of China. CVD initiates a social trauma that breaks the normality of life and triggers lifestyle changes. Through the lens of cultural trauma theory, the elderly’s self-help coping mechanism would be observed from their past and present memories. A lifestyle change pattern and innovation mindset could hence be generalized which can present for the majority elderly population. The interview results present their successful lifestyle transformation with a growing adaptation, increased social contribution and reshaped self-identification when enduring mental and social disruptions amid CVDhome confinement and social isolation. The elderly have since established a cultural memory in which they can use their past experience and strengthened capability to make social contributions. Based on the identified motivations and challenges for lifestyle changes, a collaborative innovation approach could be developed to increase more diversity of stakeholder engagement. More stakeholders partnered with the elderly can be more socially included into innovation activities and enrich social services for community-dwelling elderly in China. It could be considered as a sustainable and affordable solution to coping with the issues of ageing society and natural disasters for developing countries.