Taiwan Invests in New Care Homes To Manage 'Super-Aged' Society

TaiwanPlus News

Taiwan's health ministry has committed over US$120,000 to establishing 14 new long-term care centers in public hospitals as it becomes a "super-aged society" in 2025. The new and complicated care needs of elderly people mean the country needs to adapt its care strategy.

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00:00Showing up for daily exercise is a huge feat for these seniors in southern Taiwan.

00:07They're members of the only elderly care facility in Kaohsiung City, which is staffed by just

00:13nine people.

00:15From hosting activities to morning pick-ups, it takes a village.

00:19Actually, the power of the neighborhood is quite big.

00:22We will tell them where they live and then use the neighbors' power to bring the elders

00:26out.

00:27But such local efforts may soon no longer be enough.

00:3120 percent of Taiwan's population is projected to be 65 or older next year, fully landing

00:38the country in the super-age society category.

00:42The government is bracing for a boom in diverse and specialized medical needs by committing

00:48over US$120,000 to set up new long-term care centers in 12 ministry-run hospitals to take

00:56on more caregiving.

00:58We have 14 hospitals and 2,000 beds in the long-term care unit to meet the needs of the

01:06elderly in the future.

01:08They're calling this program Long-Term Care 3.0, also extending resources beyond seniors

01:14to patients with chronic conditions.

01:17If there are some younger patients with severe cases, they may not be able to get a physical

01:23They have proposed that this type of case may also have a need for long-term care.

01:31In the meantime, caregivers like those in Kaohsiung are doing what they can to keep

01:36seniors active, prolonging their need for full-time care.

01:40They've also enlisted the help of what they call doggy doctors.

01:44We ask the elders to comb the dog's hair, so that the dog can be more active.

01:49I think this is a great improvement.

01:51As the needs of people in a super-aged Taiwan change, caregivers at all levels are adapting

01:57their resources to provide the help necessary for good health and well-being.

02:03Andy Hsu, Tiffany Wong, and Joyce Sen for Taiwan Plus.

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