Taiwan’s senior citizens are receiving greater assistance in fighting chronic diseases and improving their well-being under a government-funded health promotion plan, according to the Department of Health Aug. 10.
The program, which involves encouraging regular exercise, eating a balanced diet and having regular health check-ups, was introduced by the DOH as part of the World Health Organization’s active aging guidelines.
“Studies indicate that chronic diseases such as asthma, cancer and diabetes pose a greater threat to the elderly,” DOH officials said. “Our initiative is making significant headway in helping citizens to better manage these conditions.”
Launched in 2009, the plan has increased the number of senior citizens exercising regularly by 10 percent, while decreasing those exposed to secondhand smoke by 13 percent.
The DOH plans to further champion the cause of healthy living among the elderly by conducting community-based education and physical fitness programs.
DOH statistics indicate that 7 percent of Taiwanese were over 65 in 1993. This figure is expected to hit 14 percent and 20 percent by 2017 and 2025, respectively.
More tellingly, Taiwan’s old-age dependency ratio—the number of citizens in the 20-64 working age population compared to those 65 and over—is 7-to-1, but forecast to drop to 4-to-1 by 2022 and 2-to-1 by 2039.
Write to Kwangyin Liu at kwangyin.liu@mail.gio.gov.tw