Through the Long-term Care Plan 2.0, the government has established a high-quality, affordable and accessible long-term care system in response to Taiwan's growing number of seniors and people with disabilities, as well as its imminent transition into a super-aged society. To proactively address future demands and diverse needs for long-term care services, the 10-year Long-term Care Plan 3.0 will launch in 2026. Building on the prior phase's core principles—a community-based approach, person-centeredness and continuity of care—the third phase of the plan will advance eight key goals aimed at realizing the vision of healthy aging, aging in place and a dignified end of life.
Eight key goals
■ Health promotion: Foster inclusive community-based care networks, and expand grassroots service points and various long-term care resources. Support community development through multiple channels, and integrate preventive care, active aging and interventions to delay disability and dementia into the care system.
■ Integrated medical and long-term care: Enable seamless transitions between medical and long-term care, such as by ensuring home care plans are completed prior to hospital discharge. Establish networks focused on accountable home health care, linking them with inpatient post-acute care reablement services covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI) system.
■ Active reablement: Extend long-term care eligibility to include individuals with disabilities who qualify for NHI-covered post-acute care, irrespective of age. Enhance the functions of adult day care centers by offering diverse services and implementing active reablement measures.
■ Increased institutional capacity: Strengthen care for individuals with moderate to severe disabilities by expanding evening care and nighttime emergency care services. Leverage social housing and public-private resources to develop long-term care services in underserved areas.
■ Enhanced family support: Provide hospitalized patients with collaborative care delivered by trained nursing assistants and nurses during their stay. Extend service eligibility to include individuals with disabilities who qualify for NHI-covered post-acute care as well as individuals with young onset dementia, irrespective of age.
■ Smart care: Develop a leasing system for smart assistive devices used in home settings, and deploy such devices in day care centers and residential care institutions.
■ End-of-life care: Encourage advance care planning to prepare for end-of-life medical care. Offer a one-time free consultation to individuals with specific medical conditions who meet the age requirement.
■ Workforce development: Expand Taiwan's long-term care workforce over time by improving labor conditions for care workers, increasing the recruitment of foreign intermediate skilled workers, encouraging volunteer participation and promoting re-employment programs for women.