U-Care for the elderly: Implemenation of a Comprehensive Living and Health Care Network

Taiwan started to be an 'aging society' from 1993, and the aging process will progress more rapidly due to markedly decreased child birth in recent year. Facing very high old age dependency ratio as 1 to 2 in year 2030 which means every two working age persons (age 15 - 64 years) have to support one elderly people. That would be an enormous burden for every family and society. In this study a U-Care system was developed and implemented in a satellite city region of Taipei metropolitan area in Taiwan, to provide a comprehensive living and health care service network for the elderly. The u-Health research team of National Taiwan University and Hospital collaborate with Cardinal Tien Hospital Young-Ho Branch, 17 primary care doctors and two living care service provider partners to provide integrated and continuous services for elderly people in home, community and institutional setting.