On Aug. 20, a 10-member group of octogenarians who starred in the Taiwan documentary “Go Grandriders” set off on a 700-kilometer journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles along the scenic coastal highway. The group is flying the flag for ROC-U.S. people-to-people exchanges while demonstrating how senior citizens can pursue their dreams irrespective of age.
During the journey, the Grandriders are using motorcycles provided by the BMW Club of Northern California. As they are not licensed for U.S. roads, these bikers with an average age of 87 are riding pillion with club members, who agreed to lend a hand after watching their heartwarming film.
Initiated by Hondao Senior Citizen’s Welfare Foundation, a Taichung-headquartered nongovernmental organization in central Taiwan, the Go Grandriders USA Miracle Journey has the blessings of the ROC and U.S. governments. Its launch took place Aug. 15 at historic Taipei Guest House, with high-ranking government officials in attendance such as Vanessa Yea-ping Shih, deputy minister of ROC foreign affairs, and Joseph Bookbinder, chief of public diplomacy at the American Institute in Taiwan.
While the 12-day journey represents a celebration of the lives of senior citizens in Taiwan, it also turns the spotlight on Taiwan’s world-class National Health Insurance system and the important part it plays in helping Taiwan’s senior citizens enjoy healthy lives long into their golden years.
In 1995, the government implemented Taiwan’s compulsory NHI, which now extends to 99.8 percent coverage nationwide. The health improvements from the program are remarkable given that spending is only 6.6 percent of gross domestic product, lower than in other developed countries. Largely as a result of the NHI, life expectancy in Taiwan has reached 80 years, and infant mortality is now at four per 1,000 live births, nearly reaching the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals.
As the Grandriders go about their business and meet U.S. senior citizens during organized nursing home and community center visits, they will exchange experiences and discuss the challenges of aging in the respective countries. There is no question that the group will leave a lasting impression on their American counterparts and inspire them to live fulfilling and active lives.
But of equal importance, the intrepid golden oldies bikers are playing an invaluable role in promoting the nation’s image and creating more opportunities for interaction between the people of Taiwan and the U.S., one of the pillars of the deep and robust bilateral relationship enjoyed by the two countries.