Page 122 - 2023 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

09 2023 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report 09

disbursed in 2022, benefiting a total of 195,902 3. Guidance was provided for institutions to improve
individuals. This measure aimed to ensure economic service quality and diversify operations to meet the
security and maintain a basic standard of living. elderly care needs. By the end of 2022, there are
2. To provide senior citizens with an additional option 1,069 permitted elderly welfare institutions. In order
for economic security by helping them convert real to alleviate the financial burden on economically
estate they own into cash that can be collected disadvantaged disabled elderly individuals
monthly, the Senior Citizens Welfare Act now accessing institutional services, and to increase
encourages financial service providers to offer the willingness and capacity of institutions to
commercial reverse mortgage services. At the end provide publicly funded placements for the elderly,
of 2022, the service was offered at 15 banks with local governments were incentivized to subsidize
6,697 applications received. the costs of public placements for low-income
disabled elderly individuals. In 2022, a total of 9,125
Section 2 Health Care for the Elderly Fees
individuals benefited from this initiative.
Subsidization
4. To ensure the safety of residents in elderly welfare
1. In order to reduce the economic barrier to health institutions and enhance the overall public safety
care due to NHI premiums and copayments for standards, incentives were granted to privately-
elder people with economic difficulties, premiums owned small-scale elderly welfare institutions
are fully subsidized for lower-middle income elderly that were registered as non-profit organizations
persons aged 70 and above. In 2022, these to improve their public safety facilities. In 2022,
subsidies were provided to 104,834 people. a total of 491 elderly welfare institutions were
2. To subsidize the denture installation for nearpoor approved for such incentives. These incentives
senior citizens, we introduce eight subsidization encompassed the replacement of electrical circuits
plans based on the missing tooth condition of in 275 institutions, the improvement of partitioning
senior citizens to meet individual needs. In 2022, a and close connections between sleeping areas and
total of 4,200 elderly people were benefited. floors in 207 institutions, the installation of 119 fire
alarm systems in 45 institutions, and the provision
Section 3 Care for Elder People
of automatic sprinkler systems in 290 institutions.
1. To compensate near poor families for losing 5. We established the elderly consultation service
economic gains from sacrificing employment to take center and provided the "Old Friend Hotline (0800-
care of elderly family, an elderly care allowance of 228585)" service. The hotline handled close to 700
NTD 5,000 each month was provided for families calls per month on average.
with elderly people requiring special care. In 2022, a
Section 4 Social Participation by Elder
total of 6,427 instances were recorded, compared
to 7,640 instances in 2021. People
2. Ongoing efforts to improve care for living alone 1. Subsidies were provided to non-governmental
elder people, carrying on a 24-hour emergency organizations for organizing lifelong learning programs
assistance network. In 2022, a total of 8,908 people and various elderly welfare activities. In 2022, 436
were equipped with this service facility, marking services and activities are available for seniors.
an increase of 368 individuals compared to the 2. In 2022, mobile tours of culture, health, and leisure
previous year, where 8,540 individuals were served. for seniors were made possible by the subsidized
Additionally, the MOHW established a center for purchase of 18 multifunctional buses by 16 cities
tracking missing elderly. Since 2001 to end of 2022, and counties. Services included welfare and
a total of 2,588 were reported missing, 1,628 were health consultations as well as leisure, culture, and
found. A total of 25 people were reported missing in entertainment activities. Participating cities and
2022, and 22 were found with the assistance of the counties hosted 3,372 tours with total attendance
center. of 380,549 seniors.

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