Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je pledged to implement the vision of “one borough, one communal dining place” in two years’ time during a yearend dining event for solitary seniors on January 15. He joined city councilors and social welfare commissioner to serve as one-day chefs for the elders.
During his address, Ko noted that communal dining for seniors will become a priority for his administration. The number of locations for the elderly to enjoy meals together has increased from 60 a year ago to the current 113. Within two years’ time, he hopes to establish at least one venue within each borough dedicated to this purpose.
The mayor pointed out that the number of people aged 65 or over stands at 420,000 now, among whom 5,000 reside alone. The government, though obligated to take care of the senior population, needs help from the private sector to overcome the challenge of limited resources.
The policy of encouraging seniors to eat together also brings additional benefits—allowing for efficient implementation of flu inoculation or health examination for aged citizens. He added that private support and advice are welcome to create a more sound communal dining policy.
Despite the fact that the central government has approved the latest version of longterm care measures last month, Ko stressed that local governments should work hard to enhance the effectiveness in longterm care on the community level.