Hospital director urges boost in home healthcare for Taiwan’s seniors

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Taiwan University Hospital Director Yu Chong-jen (余忠仁) urged the government to expand home healthcare and integrate medical and environmental factors into long-term care programs to address Taiwan’s growing elderly population and rising number of seniors living alone.

At a conference on healthcare promotion hosted by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Yu said that Taiwan has 977,000 seniors living alone, with 50,000 requiring care. He noted the hospital has launched programs to support elderly patients after discharge, coordinating with long-term care facilities to provide medical guidance and ongoing assistance.

Chou Ching-ming (周慶明), chair of the Taiwan Medical Association, urged the government to expand telemedicine, ease eligibility for home healthcare, and include remote outpatient visits and pharmacist follow-ups under National Health Insurance coverage to reduce in-person visits and referrals.

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said the ministry will roll out the Long-Term Care 3.0 plan next year, aiming to integrate medical services with care providers, strengthen community-based support, and use technology to help older adults live independently. Medical institutions will assist seniors with chronic illnesses by enhancing home care plans and incorporating telemedicine services.

Deputy Health Minister Lue Jen-der (呂建德) said that next year’s long-term care budget will increase to NT$110 billion (US$3.51 billion). He urged the Legislative Yuan to approve the budget to ensure the smooth implementation of related programs.

The 3.0 plan includes providing transportation from homes to medical institutions, increasing subsidies for care facilities, raising annual support for moderately to severely disabled seniors to NT$180,000 per person, and offering wearable devices or assistive technology. The ministry also plans to expand care personnel, aiming to support 120,000 middle-aged workers returning to the workforce to fill workforce gaps. 

The 3.0 program focuses on integrating medical services with long-term care to speed up post-discharge support, Lue added. The ministry aims to complete care coordination within two days next year and achieve seamless handover by 2030.