The super-aged society needs to go beyond caring thinking and promote the education and development of the elderly

◎ Xie Minxian

Taiwan has entered a super-aged society. When "aging" becomes a life stage that each of us will face, we should rethink: How do we view old age? However, when we talk about a super-aged society, what often comes up is: sunshine, long-term care, dementia, disability, medical care, welfare, care... Of course these are important, and people who need care need a dignified care system. But if society as a whole only thinks of " needing to be taken care of " when it comes to "olding", are we also unknowingly creating another kind of ageism - Ageism?

We often hear: "This APP is too difficult and the elderly don't know how to use it." "You're retired, what else are you studying?" "The elderly should rest more and don't need to work." The question is, do we really know this person? A 70-year-old person may be learning foreign languages, traveling, or starting a business; he may still be working and passing on his professional experience to the next generation; he may be a community volunteer, an art creator, or he may need care due to illness.

Please read on...

A 70-year-old person may be learning foreign languages, traveling, or starting a business; he may still be working and passing on his professional experience to the next generation; he may be a community volunteer, an art creator, or he may need care due to illness. (Drawing by this newspaper)

The same 70-year-old can lead a completely different life. Therefore, old age is age; weakness is the result, and the two cannot be equated. What is even more alarming is that when society keeps telling a person, "You are old and cannot learn, work, or change," over time, he may also believe that he really can't. This is the most subtle thing about Ageism: it is not necessarily a hurtful word, it may also be a seemingly well-intentioned arrangement, or a social imagination that we are accustomed to. Therefore, when Taiwan promotes its aging policy, it cannot only have a "care" mindset, but also a "development" mindset.

Long-term care refers to how society takes care of a person when he needs care; senior education refers to how society supports his continued growth while he still has abilities, interests, and dreams. Senior education is not a talent class for the elderly to pass the time, but a capacity building for people to re-establish their abilities, self-confidence, choice and social participation after life changes. What we really need is not to put all "elderly people" into the care system, but to establish a life support chain from learning, health, participation to contribution.

Seniors are not just welfare recipients, they can also be learners, workers, creators, volunteers, caregivers, and even community leaders. This is exactly the possibility that senior education will open up. What I emphasize is "from being cared for to a capable person", which is the core of this change in thinking.

Seniors are not just welfare recipients, they can also be learners, volunteers, caregivers, and even community leaders. The picture shows the volunteer team of Xizhi Senior Learning Center, where young and old learn to play board games to enhance intergenerational integration. (Provided by New Taipei City Education Bureau)

To break Ageism, it’s not about not taking care of the elderly, it’s about not only seeing the elderly as needing care. In a truly mature super-aged society, when a person reaches 65, 75 or even 85 years old, we should ask more than just:

"What care do you need?"

You should ask more:

"What else do you want to learn next? What else do you want to do?"

Perhaps this is what we should really promise everyone - a future that can afford to grow old and continue to grow.

(The author is the CEO of Miaoli County Elderly Learning Demonstration Center & an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Resources Development, National Jinan International University)