Roles reverse with time, and elders must rely on the younger members of their extended family for support. For millennia in China, this pattern has remained relatively constant. Only in recent years, with the social pressures and family fragmentation that come with modernization, has there been radical change.
The result has been at least a partial shift of responsibility in the care of the elder members of society from the family to other social institutions. Besides overburdened government programs, there are now a few private sources of assistance.
Among the most important of these are foundations. Like other institutions, public and private, they face similar problems of perennially limited funding. Nevertheless, they are assisting in the redefinition of social welfare in Taiwan's modernizing society.
Foundations in Taiwan serve a variety of needs, including social welfare, education, charity, and religious support. Currently, 150 major foundations exist on the island; 29 are national and 66 are provincial. Forty-seven serve the Taipei metropolitan area, and eight serve Kaohsiung. Most of the foundations are general in scope, operating under broad charters and primarily supporting emergency relief or welfare programs. Welfare specifically for the elderly is still in a formative stage locally, with less than 10 cents out of every philanthropic dollar devoted to senior citizens.
One of the most active private organizations devoted to bettering the life of senior citizens is the Kung Hsueh Sheh Group Society Welfare Foundation (KHS Foundation). It is sponsored by KHS Musical Instruments, an affiliate of the KHS Group. Set up in 1976 with an initial capital of US$450,000, it is considered medium-sized, but it has substantial financial backing and real assets that earn it enough money for self-support.
One of these assets is a 75-acre facility called Linko Recreational Park, located in Taoyuan County. The park includes a large horseback riding area, a small wooded reserve, recreational center, fishing pond, camping grounds, barbecue areas, Mongolian tents, and a playground for young children. It also features a reserved area called Paradise for the Ever-Young. Here senior citizens over 60 years of age can build and live in their own prefabricated houses without paying for the land. Single rooms are also provided for senior citizens at a small monthly fee of US$35. Residents have free access to all the facilities in the park.
Hsieh Ching-li (right) of the KHS Foundation — "Elderly people need something to occupy their time, something that helps them stay fit in body and mind."
Hsieh Ching-li, who is the promoter, founder, and current donor-director of the KHS Foundation, as well as its former president, decided to become a philanthropist after his retirement. The annual interest on the foundation's principal and real assets originally produced no more than US$20,000 per year. The 77-year-old Hsieh recalls that most of the money at the time was spent on emergency relief, and little was left over for other purposes.
"I knew the foundation had to become financially sound, and I searched for an idea," he says. "Finally I realized I could put one of my hobbies to use. I enjoy horseback riding; it makes me feel like a young man again. I had a hunch other senior citizens might feel the same way, so I decided to reserve a special public recreation area for the elderly featuring a riding area. I managed to secure the real estate for Linko Recreational Park in 1979, and it's earning money today. But it took some time for the facility to support itself."
Hsieh thought his project would operate in a deficit for the first three years, and break even the next year. The park was originally reserved only for senior citizens. But after the fourth year, Hsieh saw that it would still be in the red by the time it was supposed to finance itself. He decided to open Linko to the public, charging an admission fee to visitors who were not senior citizens. The income proved substantial enough not only to support the senior citizen section, but also to fund further development.
"Elderly people need something to occupy their time, something that helps them stay fit in body and mind," Hsieh says. "A self-run community like this is ideal for the purpose. The people who settle there govern themselves and help manage the park facilities. They see to the maintenance and operation of the tea houses, fishing pond, miniature golf course, souvenir shop, and roller skating rink. They also grow flowers and tea. Some even raise animals."
Part of the revenue is used for maintenance, and part for development of a senior citizen recreation center still under construction. The center is scheduled for completion within three years. Hsieh has also petitioned the authorities to build an educational facility for senior citizens serving a function similar to the Evergreen Academy network.
The KHS Foundation supports a number of programs for senior citizens besides Linko Park. Most are emergency relief welfare or outdoor relief activities requested by local authorities. Since the government already has data on where and what needs are most pressing, the KHS Foundation does not need to make its own preliminary evaluations of potential projects. Government cooperation also helps institutionalize regular channels through which the needy can secure assistance.
Two nursing homes for senior citizens regularly receive grants from the KHS foundation, and in addition, the Foundation helps sponsor facilities for the very young, such as the First Children Development Center for retarded or mentally handicapped youngsters. KHS also donates its products to public educational institutions. Because of the foundation's impressive array of philanthropic activities, it serves as a model for others with a desire to serve key social needs.
The Cosmopolitan Welfare Foundation of the Aged was founded in 1981 by General Samuel S.C. Wu. He raised over US$400,000 to establish a permanent facility for senior citizens called the Home of Pine and Cypress ("pine and cypress" is a literary phrase in Chinese that denotes older people). The home is not located in the mountains, as the name might imply, but occupies one entire floor of a large, modern office building in downtown Taipei. The facility covers an area of 486 square meters divided into a number of small sections, including a library, exercise area, chess room, pool room, workshop, medical center, chapel, canteen, and administrative area.
Phillip Tang, Cosmopolitan's vice managing director, says that the facilities required considerable expenditures, leaving very little money for further expansion. "We've had to shelve plans for adding a nursing home," he says. "Financial constraints also forced us to limit the number of people who use the home by instituting a membership system. But the rules are still fairly liberal. Users must be over 60, and pay fees calculated according to the membership status they desire." The age requirement is significant in this case. Unlike most other programs that provide benefits for those above 65 or 70, Cosmopolitan directors have responded to senior citizens caught in a legal bind not yet rectified in ROC law: retirees cannot receive benefits guaranteed by the Welfare Law for the Aged until they reach age 70, even though many people retire as early as 55 or 60.
There are three kinds of membership in the home: honorable, permanent, and ordinary. The first consists of those who have donated at least US$1,780 to the foundation. Permanent members have donated US$1,068, and have paid an admission fee of US$36, and ordinary members pay the admission fee plus annual dues of US$107. "We have no source of income except the interest on the remainder of the original endowment," Tang says.
Most of the members are retired military servicemen. A few others are civil servants or clergymen, some of whom are still working. Although these people are considered middle-class in Taiwan, they enjoy a high social status. Covered by the government employee insurance system and an adequate pension, they can afford the admission fees and contributions. The home also demands recommendations, which are thoroughly checked before applicants are admitted. Current membership stands at about 100.
"We have mostly indoor activities, such as painting, calligraphy, photography, or language classes," Tang says. "The Bureau of Social Affairs sometimes helps subsidize these activities, like the English classes. But most are self-supporting and self-sufficient. We draw upon the talents and skills of the members, who contribute their own expertise. But we're in a bind financially because we need about 300 members to maintain the home. The number of applicants is shrinking, so every source of income has become vital, even sporadic donations."
Tang believes the financial deadlock can be broken. Apart from expanded facilities or a major institutional change, more liberal rules for membership might help. Though the home may lose its reputation for exclusiveness, such an approach could give the financial boost needed to stay in business.
Dr. Chwang Shu-chi of the Ching Fong Foundation—"Prevention of disease is the key to longevity."
One of the most renowned geriatric specialists in Taiwan, Dr. Chwang Shu-chi established a new foundation in Taipei last November. Chwang is noted for her preventative programs for cancer [see FCR, February 1987], in which she uses traditional Chinese herbal medicine techniques.
Her foundation is called the Taipei Ching Fong Foundation of Social Welfare; ching fong means "green peak" or "the prime of life" in Chinese. The organization thus far has no actual facilities, but in the near future Chwang intends to build a center for recreation, day-care services, and consultation services on diets and dietary cures for senior citizens. Ching Fong currently has an office run mainly by volunteers, most of whom are the elderly patients themselves.
Chwang believes in self-sufficiency for the elderly, and insists that old age is unjustly labeled as dependent and unproductive. This, she insists, creates the wrong attitude in society. "Old age is not a crime or a sickness, but people think of it that way," she says. "The problem is a social one. More than 1.08 million people in Taiwan are 65 or older. Should we just throw them into the streets, or hide them somewhere? Aging is a natural phenomenon we all experience, and it is our duty to make allowances for it."
Chwang's immediate goal is to make old age feel like a time of rejuvenation rather than decline. "Prevention of disease is the key to longevity," she says. "I have created a special dietary regimen and calisthenics to keep senior citizens healthy. The aged need exercise, including housework such as washing clothes or dishes. They also need to maintain their agility and concentration of mind to prevent the onset of geriatric conditions such as senile athymia. My exercises address these needs by improving flexibility and agility, and by focusing a patient's attention."
Chwang had long entertained the idea of building a nursing home. The desire came from more than general benevolence, it grew out of her personal experience in caring for her mother. "We lived together for 66 years, usually sleeping in the same room," she recalls. "In Japan, I took her along with me to my lectures. She was even nearby when I interviewed patients. I wondered why there were no decent facilities available for senior citizens so they wouldn't have to feel the humiliation of burdening their children. When I was really busy, I often wished there were nursing homes where I could be sure my mother would receive trustworthy attention. That was when I began thinking about creating Ching Fong." She began raising funds and searching for support, eventually securing promises of financial and professional assistance from nine doctors and professors.
When her mother turned 66, Chwang presented the elderly woman with a large and luxurious residence, where she lived until she died in 1986. Chwang decided to use the site for a nursing home. "I ordered the house built in praise of my mother's longevity, as a place where she could spend her last years in tranquillity," she says. "Now that she is gone, I think she would be happy in heaven knowing I will use the same place to fulfill my task. I will have the old house torn down and replaced by a facility I call 'Garden of Ching Fong' that will be used to serve senior citizens." The plan is but the first step toward a long-range goal of building a whole village for elderly people.
"There are about 200 members so far, including young women and their children," she says. "I try to get whole families involved. We also receive support from religious groups, especially Buddhist organizations and local temples. This facilitates group solidarity and narrows the age gap. Self-sufficiency builds upon itself, and inspires people to achieve even greater things."
Chwang thinks the principle of filial piety should extend to social action. "Humanitarianism is mere vanity if it is not supported by substantial effort," she says. "And of course senior citizens must also take a correct attitude by trying to stand on their own feet whenever they can." She adds that government and society share a responsibility for the welfare of "marginal" groups of people, among whom senior citizens are especially important.
Li Hsiung could not agree more with the point of view. He is director of the medium-sized Taipei Old Age Foundation. The foundation conducted a survey in 1986 that disclosed a distressing fact: many abandoned senior citizens, most of whom suffer from senility, are living as vagrants in the city. Frequently, they are former laborers or other low-paid workers who have had little chance to take financial precautions to ensure independence in their retirement years.
"Parents can't take it for granted now that their children will look after them in old age," Li says. "And those without families are in a particularly unfortunate situation. The senior citizens who wander the streets pose special difficulties that current social welfare programs cannot easily cope with. The Taipei Old Age Foundation was founded on the belief that government need not take total responsibility for care of the aged. I personally endorse the idea that the welfare burden should be shared by the private sector."
When the public welfare system falls short, voluntary aid can make up the difference. Such aid even serves a pioneering function, exploring and testing new possibilities in social work. But in the case of the relatively young welfare foundations in Taiwan, their primary role is to address a growing problem: ensuring that senior citizens — those who have done so much to make the island a success story — reap the rewards of comfortable and secure retirement years. As Chwang Shu-chi, who is technically a senior citizen herself, says: "Welfare for the aged is not an act of charity that can be shirked when it becomes inconvenient — it's an obligation."
Regulating Foundations
Private foundations in Taiwan have played a vital role, especially because government welfare programs have long been restricted by financial and cultural limitations. But inexperience has often made their operations disorganized and wasteful. Starr Chen is the government officer in charge of supervising national-scale foundations in the Department of Social Affairs, Ministry of the Interior. He is in fact the only person serving this function. Special supervision of foundations is new in the ROC, and limited manpower hampers the ability of the government to administer and enforce its laws.
Until recent years, most foundations in Taiwan were tiny, poorly-run, and had weak financial backing. They could rarely accomplish their stated goals, but they did enjoy the benefits of tax exemptions. To cut down on the number of foundations, especially those established for tax reasons rather than service, and to encourage the formation of larger, more efficient bodies, the government passed legislation in 1980 that included regulations governing their levels of funding.
County-scale or city-scale foundations must start with an initial principal or total assets capable of generating a per annum interest or income of no less than US$8,900. For provincial-scale foundations the minimum is US$36,000, and for national-scale ones it is US$53,400. In addition, 60 percent of the sum must be consumed within each year by programs stated in the act of endowment. The National Tax Administration has the right to audit the accounts at any time, or conduct financial investigations. That legislation eliminated most of the small foundations, leaving only those with solid financing.
Foundations in Taiwan commonly are fixed charitable trusts, although wide latitude is given for the use of endowments. "There are five principal classifications of foundations," Chen says. "These are general purpose, special purpose, and those sponsored by companies, communities, or families. Few of these are specifically created for the welfare of the elderly. Foundations tend to be highly individual, and often carry out several functions. Some are more issue oriented than others, but the overall picture is not especially clear."
Most of the well-known foundations in Taiwan are sponsored by corporations. Though legally separate, their boards of trustees are composed almost entirely of corporation officers or directors. Company-sponsored foundations generally have a large initial principal and fixed endowments.
"Foundations organized as nonprofit corporations and as charitable trusts are both subject to supervision by the Bureau of Social Affairs," Chen says. "Our laws require registration and annual reporting. Before registration, a foundation must be approved by the authorities, who check its purpose and the property donated to it. The Ministry also requires a copy of the foundation's act of endowment with the registration application." While the bureaucratic administrative procedures seem in place, the refinement of enforcement and oversight procedures still remains incomplete.