Taiwan Today

Education opportunities for senior citizens promote mental, physical and social well-being.

Chen Su-wan (陳薯萬) is proof positive that one is never too old to learn new tricks. The 87-year-old has been diligently going to English conversation classes twice a week for the past 20 years. “Always doing my homework has paid off. I can now watch TV shows in English and sing my favorite American and British songs,” he said. “Plus, I’ve made lots of new friends by coming here, and the classes have reinvigorated me.”

Chen’s lessons are offered by Dajia District Office in central Taiwan’s Taichung City in collaboration with Dajia Junior High School and with funding from the city government’s Social Affairs Bureau. When the program commenced operations in 1986, it taught 11 classes and enrolled some 300 students. It has since expanded to 81 classes covering a wide range of subjects including calligraphy, flower arrangement, information and communication technology (ICT), and multiple languages, while the student body has grown to around 2,500.

According to Li Yen-ju (李燕如), chief of the office’s Social Welfare Section, older people are becoming more health conscious and taking proactive steps to boost their wellness, as evidenced by steady growth in geriatric enrollment. “Many studies show that continuing learning into retirement can help seniors improve mental faculty, strengthen physical fitness and establish new social connections,” she said. “The practice is an important component of the active aging policy framework, which aims to foster a healthy lifestyle and extend life expectancy.”

Local governments around the country are sponsoring educational programs for senior citizens to facilitate lifelong learning and thereby lessen cognitive and bodily decline. Course offerings focus on personal development as well as late life adjustments, with curricula tailored to meet the needs and wants of senior citizens. To adapt to a fast-changing environment and cater to rising demand, Li said her office is constantly improving course designs and teaching methods in hope of enhancing student engagement.

“We have an array of classes to help older adults acquire knowledge and skills or simply relax with a new hobby,” Li said. “Some courses, especially those related to ICT and health, are often fully booked within hours.”

For locals like 81-year-old Wu Song-yun (巫松筠), Dajia’s courses have become an integral part of everyday life. “I take dancing, singing and language classes Monday through Saturday,” he said. “I felt a bit lost when lessons were suspended during the first half of the year due to COVID-19.”

Practical Focus

Yao Yu-ling (姚昱伶), director of the Senior Citizen Services Center under Kaohsiung City Government’s Social Affairs Bureau in southern Taiwan, can also attest to how eager elderly residents were to return to the classroom. “When our school was closed between March and May as an epidemic prevention measure, we received many phone calls from students who kept asking when classes would resume,” she said. “They told us how much they missed the joy and purpose it brought to their lives.”

Established in 1982, the Kaohsiung institution annually offers 450 classes spanning 15 fields. Among the subjects on offer are art, botany, languages, literature, music and physical education. Each year, about 18,000 seniors take advantage of the comprehensive course catalogue.

“Our singing lessons in Holo, Mandarin and Japanese are hugely popular. It’s no wonder because they allow people to release stress and other pent up emotions,” Yao said. “Also, group workouts incorporating qigong, stability balls and yoga are well received.”

According to Yao, the center seeks to spark senior citizens’ interests by offering a diverse curriculum while addressing practical needs. A funeral preparation course, for example, is now available. “We were surprised at the number of older people willing to discuss such a taboo topic and acknowledge the importance of making arrangements in advance,” she said. “It’s our goal to provide courses that aid adjustment to aging, increase interpersonal interactions and provide mental stimulation. That way we can alleviate loneliness and reduce risk of dementia.”

Li Ju-zhen (李菊珍) has been taking classes at the Kaohsiung facility for nearly 20 years since her early retirement at 55. “I’m always excited to come here because I’m interested in studying all kinds of subjects, especially ballroom dance, karaoke and literature,” she said. “I’m even busier than when I was working.”

According to Yao, it is imperative Taiwan develop appropriate policy responses to ease negative impacts on the economy and government resources when the country becomes a super-aged society in the next few years. Initiatives promoting lifelong learning are effective countermeasures because they encourage older people to stay healthy and independent, delaying or preventing the need for long-term care, she said.

Extending Vitality

Like Yao, Huang Shu-hua (黃淑華), a specialist at Shilin Senior Center and Elderly University in Taipei City, is a firm believer in the positive impact of learning on senior citizens’ overall wellness. “Many of our participants are young at heart,” she said. “Some have also told us that taking part in educational activities with like-minded individuals has helped them overcome depression.”

Since its establishment in 1999, the Shilin school has committed itself to promoting active aging and healthy longevity through continued education. “We want to emphasize that it’s never too late to learn something new,” Huang said. “There are countless activities that can enrich people’s lives, like learning a new language or musical instrument.”

At present, Shilin Elderly University enrolls roughly 2,000 students and offers 100 courses in topics ranging from coffee making, health care, English and Japanese languages, ICT and photography to hiking and wilderness education. “Older adults take classes for different reasons. Some are interested in learning the basics of computers, smartphones and tablets to catch up with the digital age or to communicate better with their children and grandchildren,” Huang said. “Others simply do so out of curiosity.”

According to Huang, about half of their students have been taking classes continually for over 10 years. To further stoke student enthusiasm, the school hosts exhibitions showcasing students’ artwork and arranges for them to perform at local festivals or participate in competitions. “I’m always impressed to see the talent and devotion to coursework demonstrated by our students,” Huang said.

With an abundance of courses at multiple institutions to choose from, senior citizens in Taiwan have plenty of avenues to pursue their passions, allowing them to embark on exciting education journeys catering to all aptitudes, interests and learning styles. In helping foster emotional, intellectual and social development for older adults, these institutions are not only improving the quality of life for students but also providing opportunities for them to give back.

“I come to the Senior Citizen Services Center almost every day to take classes and volunteer. It has become my second home,” Kaohsiung resident Li said. “I encourage my peers to make the most of the courses available because I believe they’ll derive as much fulfillment from these learning opportunities as I have.” 

Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw