The Elderly

As introduced by the Taiwan Yearbook 2006:

Taiwan's life expectancy in 2005 was 73.7 years for men and 79.8 years for women. As of the end of 2005, 9.7 percent of the population was over 65. In 2002, the government launched an allowance system for the elderly, granting a monthly allowance of NT$3,000 (US$90) for those aged 65 years or older who are of limited means and receive no other pension or stipend.

As more women have entered the job market, daycare services for the elderly have become increasingly important. The Taipei City Government set up Taiwan's first senior daycare center in the Neihu District in 1988. As of November 2005, there were seven public daycare centers in Taipei City and four in Kaohsiung City. In addition to conducting regular physical checkups, these centers provide breakfast, lunch, and recreational programs during working hours. The Ministey of the Interior (MOI) also provides subsidies to local governments and township administrative offices to set up support centers for at-home care of the elderly. These institutions hold programs to teach nursing skills for family members and professional caretakers.

In January 2006, the Executive Yuan passed a draft bill for the National Pension Act. This bill proposes that anyone aged 25 to 64 not covered by any form of social insurance be included in the program. If a person joins the program at age 25, after 40 years, he or she will be entitled to a monthly pension of around NT$7,600 (US$227). Forty percent of the monthly premium will be paid for by the government. For the handicapped, the government subsidy will increase in accordance with the degree of disability. Low-income families will be exempt from the premium. Once the act gains legislative approval and goes into effect, more of Taiwan's citizens will enjoy the protection of a social security network that will ensure basic means in later life.