Hsiao calls for stronger social care of Taiwan’s aging population

蕭美琴呼籲加強對台灣高齡人口的社會照護

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said Thursday that stronger social care is required as the nation’s aging population creates growing demands for medical and long-term care services.

Taiwan became a “super-aged society” last year under the World Health Organization’s definition, with people aged 65 and older accounting for 20.06% of the population. Total population stood at 23.3 million in 2025, while the number of newborns fell to 107,812, marking a 10th consecutive annual decline and a new record low, according to CNA.

Hsiao said her visits to rural areas had highlighted difficulties faced by older residents in accessing medical care and other services. Long travel distances and limited resources can make it harder for seniors in remote areas to access care, take part in community activities, and maintain contact with family and friends.

She added that younger people caught between caring for aging parents and raising children have expressed concerns about balancing caregiving responsibilities with their careers. Hsiao said the government has a responsibility to provide adequate support for families, adding that it is expanding resources and funding for long-term care.

Taiwan has expanded its long-term care system through two phases of a 10-year program, significantly increasing the availability of community-based services.

By the end of 2024, the number of community-based integrated care service centers had reached 15,051, nearly 21 times the number recorded in 2008. The overall coverage rate for long-term care services also rose from 20.3% in 2017 to 89.9% as of June 2025, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The third phase of the program began this year, focusing on closer integration between medical and long-term care services. Measures include expanding community-based care and preventive services, such as oral health, frailty prevention, functional assessments, and exercise programs.

The government is also expanding home-based medical care and assigning primary care physicians to people receiving home-based care. Other measures include expanding home-care services, training foreign workers, and subsidizing affordable residential care facilities in underserved areas.

Hsiao said the government aims to build a more comprehensive care system that provides older people with appropriate support at different stages of life. She said the approach is also a key part of President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) healthcare agenda, which places greater emphasis on prevention, chronic disease management, and healthy aging rather than treatment alone.