Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, localities arbitrarily suspended community long-term care, leaving elderly people lonely and going out

In rural areas, many elderly people live alone. To care for their elders, many communities have set up long-term care stations for daily health care and class learning, and also provide communal meals. Reporting to community care centers every day, like elementary school students going to school to attend class and eat together, and enjoying human warmth, has become part of daily life for rural elderly people.

During the epidemic prevention period, although the Ministry of the Interior did not order the suspension of community care centers, many local governments decided to "get ahead of the curve," including Taipei City, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Nantou, Chiayi County and Chiayi City, and Kaohsiung, announcing that activities at community care centers had to be suspended. Many elderly people said, "We can't go into the school, so we have no choice but to wander around the vegetable markets, streets, and parks." Many community workers worry that losing the power of mutual aid and care may leave elderly seniors without care and may even become a breach in epidemic prevention.

After community centers stopped activities, elderly people wandered the streets and ate cold leftovers at home

In February, after receiving a text message from the Kaohsiung City Government recommending the suspension of community centers, Huang Wenzheng, who concurrently serves as chairman of the National Golden Point Community (outstanding community care center) Alliance and chairman of the Dashe Guanyin Community Development Association, began to feel uneasy. It was not until the end of March, when the city government issued another notice, that considering the movement of people during Qingming and the pressure of public opinion, he painfully stopped community operations.

"After the suspension, volunteers came and told me that elderly people were wandering and loitering on the streets. I felt terrible at that time. Although the epidemic posed a threat, we had worked so hard to build community mutual aid and care, and I felt very torn." Describing it as if heartbroken, Huang Wenzheng said that losing mutual care made elderly people more likely to become a gap in epidemic prevention.

"I am very unwilling to accept it. The elderly are already used to living together. Why can they only stay at home eating cold leftovers?" Huang Wenzheng believes the community has the ability to do epidemic prevention well and also has the ability to take good care of itself. He is considering continuing operations in suitable outdoor locations in a compliant manner. Even if the government stops subsidies, he would rather pay out of his own pocket to let normal community life continue.

Ministry of Health and Welfare: It did not mandate suspension, only provided epidemic prevention guidelines; the suspension was a decision by local governments

Section Chief Lin Mingli of the Elderly Welfare Division of the Social and Family Affairs Administration (SFAA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare said: "In February, the Ministry of Health and Welfare notified everyone to implement epidemic prevention principles. If there are uncertain or suspected cases, services should be stopped." However, it did not order the suspension of community care centers. Now it is each local government deciding on its own to "get ahead of the curve." The counties and cities currently known to have suspended community care centers include: Taipei City, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Nantou, Chiayi County and Chiayi City, and Kaohsiung.

Lin Mingli said that on April 1, the SFAA sent a document to all counties and cities providing the "Work Guidelines for Community Epidemic Prevention Manpower" for reference, and also presupposed that if the epidemic worsens and the government finds it difficult to meet all needs, society would still be needed