Commissioned by the Pingtung County Government, NPUST held the symposium on “Imagining and Exploring Holistic Care for the Next Generation of Elderly” today (9/22) at 1:10 PM in the International Conference Hall on the fourth floor of the NPUST Library and Convention Center. The symposium was opened by Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi and NPUST Vice President for Education, Ma Shang-min. The event was organized by the “Pingtung County Center for Research and Development of Elderly Community Care” (hereafter referred to as the “Center for Elderly Research”) and brought together domestic experts, scholars, and practitioners in the field of elderly care for an exchange of ideas. The goal is to help Pingtung County become an “age-friendly city,” characterized by accessibility, mobility, safety, respect for the elderly, intergenerational connections, and health and well-being.
Commissioned by the Pingtung County Government, NPUST held a symposium titled “Imagining and Exploring Holistic Care for the Next Generation of Elderly” today (9/22) at 1:10 PM in the International Conference Hall on the 4th floor of the NPUST Library and Convention Center. The event was opened by Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi and NPUST Vice President for Education Ma Shang-min. The symposium was organized by the “Pingtung County Research and Development Center for Community Care for the Elderly” (hereafter referred to as the “Center for Aging Research”). The event brought together domestic experts, scholars, and practitioners in the field of elderly care to exchange ideas, with the goal of making Pingtung County an “age-friendly city”—one that is accessible, livable, supportive, and respectful of the elderly, fostering connectivity and health.
In her remarks, Magistrate Chou Chun-mi stated: “Many of the service experiences we have gained need to be adapted into models that suit Pingtung. The county government has undertaken various local construction projects across departments to address how we care for the retired lives of our elderly population in the context of an aging society. We also encourage them to continue contributing their wisdom, expertise, and experience. This comprehensive approach to gradually building holistic care for the elderly in Pingtung County has been made possible thanks to the support from various sectors—industry, government, and academia—which allows the county government to move forward steadily, bearing the responsibility of caring for nearly 20% of Pingtung’s elderly population.”
NPUST Vice President for Education Ma Shang-min remarked: “According to a report by the National Development Council, Taiwan will enter a hyper-aged society by 2025, and Pingtung ranks 5th in the country in terms of population aging. Therefore, this symposium, co-organized with the county government, is highly significant. In the morning, we arranged site visits to holistic care facilities in Pingtung County for practical exchanges with social welfare organizations. In the afternoon, we will deepen participants’ professional thinking through five themed academic presentations. We hope that this meaningful exchange today will inspire scholars, community partners, social welfare organizations, and other practitioners to collectively consider the correct direction for holistic care as we move into a hyper-aged society.”
In response to the growing elderly population in Taiwan, the Pingtung County Government has long collaborated with NPUST’s Center for Aging Research to comprehensively understand and address the needs of the county’s senior citizens in areas such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, recreation, and mobility. The needs and planning of retirement life are expected to become a core policy focus in the future silver society. This symposium centers on the theme of “Holistic Care for the Next Generation of Elderly,” inviting and rallying practitioners and academics interested in topics such as “caregivers and care recipients,” “active aging,” “integrated community care,” “employment,” and “transportation and mobility” to discuss and explore the potential development of holistic care for the next generation of elderly.
In the morning, participants were arranged to visit several unique elderly care sites in Pingtung County, including the Jiuru Holistic Care Park, the Chutian Xishi Friendly Intelligence Park, and the Chaohao Happiness Village. Through hands-on experiences, they discovered the rich diversity and meticulousness of Pingtung County Government’s elderly care efforts. These included services such as senior care experience sessions, practical silver-age fitness and nutrition classes, the “Green Elders” program, and the “Adult-Child Interaction” experience. In the afternoon, the symposium featured presentations by several domestic scholars and also invited experienced practitioners to share their insights. Together with the heads of relevant departments from the Pingtung County Government and other participants, they thoroughly discussed the latest trends and issues in holistic care for the elderly.
