At Thursday's weekly Cabinet meeting, Premier Cho Jung-tai was briefed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on its efforts to expand services for seniors living alone. The premier said that Taiwan became a super-aged society last year, and that as of the end of February this year, its elderly population has exceeded 4.7 million, with more than 700,000 living alone. To strengthen their care services and risk prevention, the Executive Yuan on November 21, 2025, approved version 2.0 of its social safety net program which includes expanded support for this group. Starting this year, NT$6.25 billion (approximately US$196.3 million), drawn from the government's special budget to strengthen economic, social, livelihood and security resilience in response to international developments, will be used to develop an integrated service system for seniors living alone.
The premier outlined four key components of the program. First, it will expand home visits, with the goal of completing all on-site visits within two years. Second, it will increase home safety by coordinating with local governments to provide 24-hour emergency assistance services. Third, it will introduce meal delivery services; through in-person delivery and on-site check-ins, providers can better understand the physical, mental and safety conditions of seniors living alone. Fourth, it will actively enhance care services by establishing a needs-based, tiered system of support, including care visits, telephone check-ins, daily living assistance and accompaniment to medical appointments.
Premier Cho instructed the MOHW to work with the Ministry of the Interior and local governments to improve personnel training for outreach visits, heighten sensitivity for risk detection, and ensure that seniors living alone feel cared for and reassured. Public awareness efforts will also be boosted to encourage broader community support for these individuals.