The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) announced the launch of the "Gerontechnology Industry Development Plan" on 10th January and looks forward to working with the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of the Interior and eight other ministries to develop a gerontechnology industry. NSTC officials cited health data collection through smart watches, integrated home care services and AI facial expression recognition as examples of potential gerontechnology businesses.
Science and Technology Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) told on Wednesday's launch event that this plan brings together NSTC, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Digital Affairs, hoping to use technology as a cornerstone for addressing the ageing challenge. This initiative would enhance the ability of the elderly to use digital technology, reduce the long-term care burden of caregivers and elderly caregivers, and develop the elderly industry to create silver economy opportunities.
According to Lin Ming-jen (林明仁), deputy executive secretary of the Council's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and professor of economics at National Taiwan University, Taiwan will become a "super-aged society" by 2026, with 21 per cent of the population being senior citizens. The government has responded to this trend by revising its white paper on the subject in 2021 and releasing a policy in 2022, hoping to enable the elderly cohort to remain connected to society and at the same time to better serve not only the elderly but also their caregivers, families and communities through the introduction of technology.
Lin added that the country's elderly care rate is 12.7% and the digital technology usage rate among this cohort is 47%, hence the need to launch this plan to develop and expand agetech business by NT$300 billion by 2025. The silver economy also covers long-term care, products, services and facilities based on gerontechnology, such as smart watches, and cross-industry collaboration (e.g. F&B, pharmacy, fitness) to provide integrated services and home care.
