2015-07-01
On July 1, Mayor Lin Jia-long presided over the opening ceremony of the 9th nursing home in Taichung, which is also the 1st Changqing Happiness School (長青快樂學堂) in East District. He also announced his goal to set up one nursing home in each administrative district and to study the feasibility of "back-to-back care for the elderly" by combining the daycare centers, Changqing Happiness Schools, and other nursing services together. “I hope to turn Taichung City into the most livable place for seniors,” Mayor Lin said.
The Changqing Happiness School is set up by the Dongxin Community Development Association (東信社區發展協會) under the guidance of Social Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government. Attending its opening and unveiling ceremony held on July 1 were guests, including Mayor Lin; Director-general of Social Affairs Bureau Lue Jen-der (呂建德); City Councilors Qiu Su-zhen (邱素貞), Ho Min-cheng (何敏誠), Li Zheng (李中), and Jeng Gong-jin (鄭功進); Legislator Huang Guo-su (黃國書); Chairman of Dongxin Community Development Association Liu Guo-xiang (廖國香); and a number of village chiefs from East District.
Mayor Lin said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our City Council in approving two supplementary budgets, including NT$ 400 million to subsidize the dentures for silver-haired citizens and NT$ 600 million for the end-to-end daycare subsidy program. I am happy that we have nine daycare centers for the elderly in Taichung City now. I also hope that the Social Affairs Bureau can further compile budgets and integrate civil forces to expand more social welfare service stations. I hope we can set up 12 daycare centers before the end of this year and establish one nursing home in each of our 29 administrative districts within the coming 4 years. It is our aim to turn Taichung City into the most livable place for seniors in Taiwan.”
“According to the definition of the United Nations, the ‘old age’ means an age surpassing 80 years old,” added Mayor Lin. “I hope that our silver-haired citizens can maintain a young mind and take care of your own physical health, and live up to 120 years old. I am considering the feasibility to combine the daycare centers, Changqing Happiness Schools, and other nursing services to provide our seniors with ‘back-to-back care’ and hire our experienced and knowledgeable elders to pass on the local culture and history to our young generation.”
The Dongxin Community Development Association has begun to offer community care services since 2012. After a careful assessment, the Social Affairs Bureau has helped it to expand business scope to provide more complete daycare services for the elderly. Starting its pilot run in May 2015, Dongxin’s Changqing Happiness School is open from 9 am to 16 pm, Monday through Friday, providing the elderly with such courses and activities as culture, sports, leisure, talent, and fitness. It also offers a special program called “I am the best today” to explore and develop special skills for the elderly in a hope to build up senior manpower and enhance their self-confidence and mental health. The School also provides the elderly with delicious lunch every day and comfortable deck chairs for them to take a rest at noon and in the afternoon.
Grandma Tsaiyin (彩英) was very reluctant to attend the School in the beginning. After school instructors and volunteers accompanied her for a few weeks, she is highly interested in learning everything now. Her daughter felt very happy and highly praised the School’s daycare service. “The School not only gives my mother a brilliant gold life but also makes us at ease,” said grandma Tsaiyin’s daughter.
unit:綜合企劃科
