Sat, Apr 11, 2026 page8

• EDITORIAL: Taiwan tackles super-aged isolation

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  Data released this week by the Ministry of the Interior showed that the number of households composed only of people aged 65 or older in the north is now nearly double that of the south.

  Real-estate experts attribute the disparity to industrialization and urbanization, with many elderly residents who migrated north for job opportunities in their youth choosing to remain there in retirement.

  Of the north’s 370,600 elderly households, nearly 78 percent consist of a single elderly person living alone. This is not unique to the region. At the end of 2024, single-occupant elderly households accounted for about 76 percent of the nation’s more than 800,000 elderly households. In other words, most elderly Taiwanese now live alone. While those in major urban centers could have children nearby, a significant number of seniors remain isolated. Regardless of family proximity, all elderly people living alone face a distinct set of structural challenges.

  Housing access is a long-standing issue. Elderly renters frequently encounter reluctant landlords, who view them as higher risk due to health uncertainty or financial limitations. For those able to rent, the environment itself often presents risks. Many older apartment buildings lack elevators, creating a physical barrier to going outside.

  Poor living conditions in aging buildings also disproportionately affect older residents. For seniors with declining physical resilience, issues such as mold, water leakage or inadequate maintenance can quickly become serious health hazards, as limited mobility and energy make routine maintenance difficult.

  Structural vulnerabilities compound these risks in earthquake-prone Taiwan, where reconstruction of aging buildings require could residents to relocate — something many elderly tenants cannot easily arrange or afford.

  Elderly poverty is a growing concern. Data showed that about half of households headed by someone aged 65 or older had annual expenditures exceeding their income in 2023. According to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, last year was the seventh consecutive year in which inflation disproportionately affected elderly households, driven largely by rising healthcare, food and living costs.

  These issues must be considered within the nation’s broader demographic context. Taiwan has officially become a “super-aged society,” with more than 20 percent of the population aged 65 or older, while fertility rates continue to set new record lows. The gap between the working-age and elderly populations continues to widen, as do the number of seniors facing difficult circumstances.

  The Ministry of Health and Welfare last month announced plans to invest NT$6.25 billion (US$196 million) over the next two years to expand services for elderly people living alone. The program includes nationwide interviews of around 700,000 seniors to assess their living conditions and expanded subsidies for 70,000 emergency rescue devices.

  Systematically identifying vulnerable seniors is essential, as limitated household registration data often fail to capture actual living situations. Expanding access to emergency devices is critical — in old age, even minor accidents such as falls can become life-threatening.

  The scale of implementation promblematizes a purely centralized approach. Conducting hundreds of thousands of interviews and follow-ups is resource-intensive and time-consuming. Relying on state capacity alone is not sufficient.

  With the old age dependency ratio projected to reach 100 percent in the coming decades, the so-called “sandwich generation” faces increasing pressure from aging parents and other financial burdens. This strain is already tangible in Taipei, where dependency burdens are among the nation’s highest. It is therefore unrealistic to expect central agencies alone to continuously identify, monitor and support every isolated elderly person.

  This is where local and community-driven initiatives come in. Although neighborhood networks, community centers and grassroots organizations are no replacement for state policy, they can become critical extensions of it. Regular community check-ins, localized support systems and informal monitoring can ensure that no seniors fall through the cracks. Expanded funding, national surveys and emergency devices are necessary, but not sufficient: They must be combined with stronger, more resilient community-based support.

  With the growing number of single-occupant elderly households, central and local governments must move beyond recognition of the problem and work with communities to improve local support systems and foster a culture of neighborly care.

  Once the needs of the elderly are identified, the government should equip local networks with the resources necessary to ensure no senior is left behind.
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