ArchivesNTU conference academics urge action on aging in Taiwan
Taiwan should tackle the issues of its aging society by increasing health and security measures for senior citizens, as well as their involvement in social, economic and civic affairs, scholars at a National Taiwan University conference said March 16. “It is important to promote active aging so that the country’s citizens can be well cared for while still contributing to society,” said Lin Wan-i, a sociology professor at NTU. Active aging “allows people to realize their potential for physical, social and mental well-being throughout the life course and to participate in society, while providing them with adequate protection, security and care,” according to the World Health Organization. “The government needs to work with cross-agency initiatives and implement existing policies systematically, rather than off and on as now happens, to deal with the challenges of the aging society,” Lin said. Taiwan has become one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world, with statistics showing it will take eight years, from 2017 to 2025, for it to grow from an aged to a super-aged society, with 20 percent of the population over the age of 65. One urgent problem that requires integrated action from the government is allowing seniors to work as long as they are capable and willing, said Yang Pei-shan, an NTU associate professor of social work. Taiwan’s seniors have a relatively low labor participation rate—7.93 percent—compared with South Korea’s 29.4 percent, Japan’s 19.9 percent and Singapore’s 17.6 percent. The issue of older workers has been at best marginal to labor policymakers, Yang said, but allowing those beyond the age of retirement to continue being productive contributes to their own welfare, as well as to society. “Government and the private sector should work together to achieve a productive aging future,” she urged. (THN) |