The issue of elderly-friendly living has attracted much attention. Taiwan Advance held a press conference today (6th), stating that there are 1.43 million elderly people over 65 years old in the two norths. However, there are estimated to be as many as 190,000 to 220,000 4- and 5-story old apartments without elevators. However, since Taipei's elevator subsidy was launched in 2006, there have been only 76 public success cases. Based on the 10,000 apartments the city government estimates can be built, it will take more than 1,000 years to complete them all. Taiwan Advance proposed three solutions, including reducing the subsidy for establishing management committees to the fourth floor, including free counseling for apartments on the fourth and fifth floors, with the city government paying for the initial evaluation, giving priority to elderly areas such as Wanhua, and announcing a floor apportionment reference table, with zero investment for the first floor, to accelerate policy advancement.
Taiwan Advance pointed out that the "Shuangbei Confinement Map" website (elevator.taiwangogo.tw) was launched today, and stated that the proportion of Taipei's population over 65 years old has reached 24.76%. According to Taipei City's 2024 Elderly Living Conditions Survey, nearly 60% of elders over 60 years old live in apartments without elevators, and 93% of walk-up apartments are more than 30 years old. There is no management organization, and even the person who took the lead in applying can't be found.
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Chen Chi-ying, a city councilor candidate for Taipei City’s Sixth District (Da’an, Wenshan), said that with the election approaching, all political parties are competing to increase elderly benefits such as pensions, health insurance, and denture subsidies. However, as a neighborhood leader, he often visits the residents in the neighborhood. Elders rarely complain that the money is not enough. The most common thing mentioned is that the body is increasingly inconvenient. Chen Zhiying pointed out that the elders who live on the fourth floor and have had knee surgery cannot go downstairs to use it no matter how much pension they receive. What the elders lack is not extra money, but an improvement in their lives. If left unaddressed, the vertical confinement trapped in our homes by stairs will only become a dilemma for an entire generation.
Deng Leqiang, candidate for Taiwan Jijin City Council in Taipei City's Third District (Songshan, Xinyi), pointed out that the subsidy for adding elevators in Taipei can reach up to 80% of the project cost and the upper limit is NT$4.8 million per building. Why can't it be pushed forward? He pointed out three major problems. First, the counseling team only provides services above the sixth floor in Taipei and only above the seventh floor in New Taipei. All apartments on the fourth and fifth floors are excluded; second, the subsidy only waits for the community to apply for it on its own. Da'an has 8 of the 76 cases, but Wanhua, which has the most elders living alone, has zero; third, there is a lack of system for negotiation among residents on the first floor, and negotiations for each building start from scratch. He also pointed out that the implementation rate of the relevant budget was only over 40% last year, and nearly 1 billion yuan was paid back to the municipal treasury from the Dudu Renewal Fund. The money has always been there, but what is missing is someone to do it.
Wang Zhenting, a city councilor candidate of the Taiwan Green Party in Taipei City's 5th District (Chung Cheng, Wanhua), proposed a solution. He said that the first step is to lower the subsidy for establishing management committees to the fourth floor. Referring to Taoyuan's already established practices, it is estimated that about 70 million yuan a year can accompany a thousand communities to establish management committees; secondly, send extra escalators to accompany runners. 4. Five-story apartments are included in free counseling, and the city government will bear the initial evaluation fee. Priority will be given to elderly areas such as Wanhua. Those who are confirmed to be unable to install additional facilities will be referred to alternative solutions such as stair lifts and stair-climbing machines within 30 days. Third, the floor apportionment reference table will be announced. The investment for the first floor will be zero. Loss compensation will be included in the application documents, and the dispute will be sent to the mediation committee.
Wang Zhenting said that the three measures do not require amendments to the law and can be included in next year's budget, and asked Mayor Jiang Wanan and Mayor Hou Youyi to explain when they will assist the elders on the 4th and 5th floors. Taiwan Advance promises to continue to update the prison map and track it down one by one with budgets and inquiries after entering parliament.
