Meeting the challenges of eldercare in Taiwan's aging society
Journal
Journal of Clinical Gerontology and Geriatrics
Journal Volume
1
Journal Issue
1
Pages
2-4
Date Issued
2010
Author(s)
Abstract
Some of the above eldercare problems are unique to Taiwan, while some are common issues confronting Taiwan, her Asian neighbors and other countries. All, however, are serious challenges that must be successfully overcome for the sustainable development of geriatric care and gerontology.9 In Taiwan, a recent restructure of the Executive Yuan will lead to the establishment of an independent Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2012. The new government agency will have the crucial mission of tackling the problems generated by rapid population aging in Taiwan, especially with regard to critical issues related to eldercare, notably comorbidities, geriatric syndromes, over-specialization, and polypharmacy. Eldercare in the future is bound to rely to a great extent on professional geriatric teams composed of specialists from a wide spectrum of disciplines. However, the required manpower in Taiwan is lacking as training for geriatricians and allied medical specialists is still in the nascent stage. Lack of active participation from physicians in the long-term care system in particular has been a pressing problem that is potentially harmful to the smooth transition from medical care to daily life care for elderly people. Geriatricians and gerontologists should assume a more vigorous role in addressing the issues of disability prevention in eldercare and developing workable interventions against disabilities to assist inmaking the to-be-implemented long-term care insurance program more effective. According to the 2020 Health White Paper published by the Department of Health in 2008, active aging is upheld as the vision for eldercare in Taiwan, and various strategies have been proposed to achieve the vision from the three aspects of "quality medical care", "healthy lifestyle", and "supportive social environment". In the white paper that incorporates the elderly as a focus group, five indicators have been set up and applied to assess policy effectiveness in meeting the needs of Taiwan's elderly people grouped according to their health status. With the aim of promoting active aging and disability prevention, the five quantitative indicators concentrate on: (1) the prevention of frailty and geriatric syndromes; (2) the prevention of falls; (3) the promotion of geriatric rehabilitation and stroke disability prevention; (4) depression screening and suicide prevention; and (5) promotion of advance directives.10 In response to the above challenges of an aging society in Taiwan, we need to conduct more research, learn from the eldercare experiences of advanced countries, and expedite active international exchange and collaboration so as to provide the government with solid and effective advice in the development of Taiwan's eldercare policies. ? 2010, Asia Pacific League of Clinical Gerontology and Geriatrics. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.
SDGs
Other Subjects
age distribution; aging; caregiver; community care; disease severity; family counseling; functional disease; functional status; geriatric assessment; geriatric care; health care cost; health care utilization; health insurance; home care; human; life expectancy; physical disability; polypharmacy; review; Taiwan
Type
journal article