Long-term care for the elders has become a critical issue in Taiwan. In response to Taiwan’s aging society, Taipei Medical University set up the School of Gerontology in 2007 with the purpose of cultivating talents for elderly care, senior health assessment and community care project design.

For students to gain more practical service experience, the School of Gerontology and the Chang Yung-Fa Charity Foundation teamed up in conjunction with Hui’An Village and Siwei Village to host the scheme, “Youths and Elders Dine Together: solitary elders need not dine alone”, which offered exciting, diverse, professional courses and dining-together events to attract the disadvantaged elders in solitary residence to step out and interact with people and boost their health.

The Foundation also organized a winter solstice get-together on December 20 at the Hui’an Village Community Center. The event began with the energetic students leading a fitness session and fun games that stretched the limbs and strengthened the muscles. The making of glutinous rice balls got the elders to work with their hands and brain to energize their cognitive functions and improve their social participation. Lin Qiu-Fen, the academic director of Taipei Medical University, thanked the Foundation for its long-standing support so that the dining together scheme can keep going and the elders can carry on living it up.

Despite the cold weather, the event went down very well as the elders and youths had a good time.

#School of Gerontology  #Chang Yung-Fa Charity Foundation #Winter solstice

#Boost muscle strength #Creative glutinous rice balls