The central government would invest NT$6.25 billion (US$195.6 million) this year and next year to expand services for elderly people living alone, helping to ensure that they can receive timely assistance during emergencies, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) said today.
Due to Taiwan’s status as a super-aged society, as well as changing family structures and social values, there are more elderly people living alone, the ministry told an Executive Yuan briefing.
Responding to the demographic shift, the government would invest NT$6.25 billion from its special resilience budget so that local governments can expand support for seniors living alone, the ministry said, adding that it would supervise the funding.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
Starting this year, local governments would interview seniors living alone to understand their living conditions and requirements, providing care, meals, emergency rescue assistance and other services as needed, the ministry said.
About 700,000 people would be interviewed over the next two years and about 350,000 are expected to require support, it added.
Adopting a digital governance model, data from home visits would be integrated with data from the National Health Insurance and other social welfare systems, using big data to monitor elderly people’s health and living conditions, it said.
The ministry would develop an early warning system to provide real-time care and necessary services before a crisis occurs, it said.
It would also expand subsidies for emergency rescue devices for 70,000 elderly people living alone, providing 24-hour protection so that they can receive immediate assistance in case of emergencies, the ministry said.
To improve community support, the ministry is also encouraging local governments to work with 5,000 community centers and grassroots organizations nationwide to provide care visits and meals, it said.
By combining technology with community support, it hopes to provide timely services to every senior citizen in need, it added.
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