Department of Social Welfare

Goals 

1. To facilitate “peaceful aging in place” through various care and service models.

2. To encourage space-functionality and programs for activities designed for the elderly and encourage social participation among them to enrich their golden years.

3. Promote mutual care and peer support.

Services 

A. Day Care Service

DOSW currently provides daycare services at thirteen agencies and will increase the service capacity to meet increasing care needs. Senior citizens over 65 years of age who are mildly to moderately disabled or adult over 55 years of age with dementia can apply for daycare service as long as they can manage their daily routines and don't have major infectious diseases.

B. In-home Care Service

Elderly citizens over 65 years old with functional disabilities, who need help with daily living may apply for in-home care, which provides assistance in house chores, daily activities, and personal care.

C. Residential Care

1) Self-paid residential home

The Senior Citizens Homes in public provides elderly citizens who are 65 years of age and older and are healthy enough to care for themselves, with no mental disorders or major infectious diseases may apply to live in the public, the publicly-owned but privately-run homes or other private residential care homes. Other low-income elders needing nursing home care may receive public payment for care in registered private or publicly-owned but privately-run facilities.

2) Public residential care home

The Haoran Senior Citizens' Home provides care for low-income elders who live alone or are unable to self-provide, and is designed for those low-income elders over 60 years of age, who are childless, unable to support themselves, yet healthy enough to care for themselves and with no mental disorders or major infectious diseases.

D. Leisure and Recreational Activities

DOSW has established 14 Seniors Service Centers. Senior citizens over 60 years of age may access facilities at these Centers for educational and recreational programs, including welfare consultation, association activities and lecture courses.

E. Health Insurance Premium Subsidies

In order to safeguard the health of elders age over 65 and Aborigines age over 55, Taipei City may help to pay partial National Health Insurance premium no more than NT$749 per month for those who meet the requirements.

F. Fairs and Tickets Discount

Senior residents over 65 years of age can enjoy half-price bus rides, half-price subway fare, and discount admission tickets to educational and recreational facilities. In addition, senior residents over 65 years of age and household registered in Taipei over 1 year can enjoy 60 free bus rides per month.

G. Protection Service

DOSW has designed an emergency report and rescue system to assist elders over 65 years who are abandoned, abused, neglected, and proven in need of such service. DOSW also provides friendly visits and emergency rescue services to live-alone elders over 65 years old.

H. Assisted Residential Care Facility

Taipei Yang-Ming Senior Apartment and Julung Senior Citizens Apartment are publicly-owned but privately-run assistive residential care facility. They provide living quarters and basic assistances to seniors over 65 years of age, who are registered residents over one year in Taipei City and have no major infectious diseases, mental conditions, or dementia and can live independently.

I. Special Caregiver Allowances for Medium- and Low-income Families

The caregivers of medium- and low-income families who take care of a severely impaired family member over 65 at home may receive allowances.

J. Other Supportive Services

1) Peer Counseling Hotline

2) Live-alone Elders Emergency Assistance Hotline

3) Senior Citizens Services Information Hotline

4) Senior Volunteers and the Silver-Haired Legacy program provision opportunities for senior citizens, encouraging them to contribute their time and experiences to the community.

K. Long-term Care

Long-term Care service for disabled elders over 65 and disabled citizens over 50. It consists of eight parts which integrate health and social care including 1.care services (specifically home care, day care); 2.home nursing; 3.home rehabilitation; 4.acquiring or renting of assistance equipment and improvement of barrier-free environments at home; 5.meal services for disabled elders; 6.respite care services; 7.transportation services; and 8.long term care institutional services.