Taiwan - Kaohsiung City disaster prevention and emergency response plan for elderly living alone

Issues and Objectives

In response to Taiwan's frequent natural disasters and the rising number of elderly people living alone, the Kaohsiung City Government's Social Affairs Bureau and Civil Affairs Bureau have revised the "Kaohsiung City Disaster Prevention and Relief Response Plan for Elderly People Living Alone." This plan combines government resources, district offices, the Kaohsiung Evergreen Community Care Service Team, and community care centers with weather forecasts for typhoons, torrential rains, and tsunamis, and is coordinated with the Disaster Response Center. The aim is to assist elderly people living alone in disaster-prone areas to seek refuge and resettle, thereby reducing the number of elderly people living alone who are isolated and helpless when disasters occur.

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Improvement Measures Taken

Reducing vulnerability: Enhancing the disaster preparedness and response capabilities of elderly people living alone, and improving their social connectivity.

The public sector will coordinate the development of disaster prevention and response plans for elderly people living alone, aiming to mitigate the disadvantage of their vulnerable social connections during disasters. The following implementation steps and division of responsibilities are summarized from the "Kaohsiung City Disaster Prevention and Response Plan for Elderly People Living Alone":

1. Disaster prevention and mitigation in peacetime

• Establish an emergency evacuation or resettlement roster: The district office updates the roster of elderly people living alone in disaster-prone areas within its jurisdiction by the end of March each year.
• Disaster prevention awareness: When the responsible unit conducts routine care visits to elderly people living alone, it should check the safety of the elderly's living environment, remind or assist in clearing waterways, securing belongings, and cooperate with the fire department to promote disaster prevention awareness.
• Promotion of the provision of disaster relief supplies and food: When the organizers visit elderly people living alone on weekdays, they recommend that the elderly keep a week's worth of food at home. The supplies should mainly consist of changes of clothes and warm clothing, and the food should consist of instant noodles and rations to maintain basic needs in the event of a disaster.
• Promotion of disaster preparedness supplies: During routine visits to elderly people living alone, the organizing unit recommends that they keep disaster preparedness supplies at home, including:
  • Lighting equipment preparation: flashlight, batteries, candles, lighter, etc.
  • Document and item storage: Important documents are stored in moisture-proof bags, and important items and electrical appliances are placed in high places to prevent flooding and are secured to prevent them from falling.
  • Disaster relief kit: Prepare items such as water, dry food, flashlight, whistle and mask, and keep it in the room for use in case of disaster or escape.
• List of nursing homes with which contracts have been established: The Social Affairs Bureau has established emergency shelter contracts with nursing homes to facilitate the placement of vulnerable elderly people in emergency situations.

2. Disaster Response

• Activate disaster prevention and response: When the Central Weather Bureau issues a land typhoon warning or heavy rain warning that is likely to pose a threat to the land in central, southern or southwestern Taiwan, the district office's neighborhood officers, in conjunction with neighborhood chiefs, will activate disaster prevention and response and assist in post-disaster recovery work for the elderly living alone under their jurisdiction.
• Disaster information and evacuation information: Provide the latest disaster information, evacuation locations, emergency contact numbers, and disaster prevention leaflets, and review home safety.
• Encourage voluntary evacuation or assist with evacuation and resettlement:
  • Inform vulnerable elderly people living alone, or their relatives or friends who do not live with them, to persuade the elderly people living alone to take refuge on their own.
  • For non-disabled elderly people living alone, assistance will be provided to evacuate them to nearby shelters or reception centers set up by the district office.
  • "Elderly people who are frail or disabled and live alone and are unable to seek refuge independently" will be given priority for admission to local nursing homes or care facilities contracted by the Social Affairs Bureau or district offices.
  • The responsible unit assisted in confirming that all elderly people living alone in the area whose names were on the security register had been evacuated to safe locations.

3. Post-disaster recovery

• Returning home and cleaning up the house:
  • The organizing unit went to the homes of the elderly people who were being resettled to inspect the damage to their homes after the disaster. If the homes were still habitable, the unit assisted the elderly people who were being resettled and living alone to return home.
  • For those whose homes or residential areas are damaged, the organizing unit will assist in cleaning up their homes using human resources.
• Post-disaster life and physical and mental recovery assistance:
  • The responsible unit will report the disaster situation to the Social Affairs Bureau for registration as a protected case and assist with subsequent home renovation and repair.
  • Each responsible unit should refer elderly people living alone to relevant units for relevant recovery assistance based on their physical and mental health conditions after the disaster.

Incentive measures

Those district office staff who have demonstrated outstanding performance in disaster prevention and relief work for elderly people living alone will be recognized and rewarded. The reward method is as follows:

• Community affairs officers: Those who assist in the evacuation or relocation of 10 or more registered elderly people living alone or in the resettlement of 3 or more people in a year will be awarded one commendation; those who evacuate or relocate 11-20 or relocate 4-6 or more people will be awarded two commendations; those who evacuate or relocate 21 or more elderly people living alone or in the resettlement of 7 or more people will be awarded one merit.
• The staff and supervisors in charge of the elderly living alone affairs of the district office shall be awarded one time for assisting in the evacuation or relocation of 50 elderly people living alone or the resettlement of 15 elderly people living alone; two times for evacuation or relocation of 51-200 elderly people or resettlement of 16-50 elderly people; and one time for evacuation or relocation of more than 201 elderly people or resettlement of more than 51 elderly people.
• This is a routine business, and the district office submits it to the performance evaluation committee for review every December in accordance with this standard. The reward amount is verified and determined based on the actual participation and merit of the staff.

Funding Source: The expenses related to the placement of registered elderly people living alone are covered by the Social Affairs Bureau and the Social Affairs Bureau's Senior Citizen Integrated Service Center's annual budget.

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Results

1. This will encourage registered elderly people living alone in Kaohsiung City to prepare for disasters in advance and reduce the damage caused by natural disasters.
2. To ensure the safety of vulnerable elderly people living alone in Kaohsiung City.

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References

Kaohsiung City Government Website (July 10, 2025). "Kaohsiung City Disaster Prevention and Relief Response Plan for Elderly People Living Alone"https://orgws.kcg.gov.tw/001/KcgOrgUploadFiles/276/relfile/77930/370908/9d682d24-55b9-4ceb-abbf-02672cbe1752.pdf

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Reference Websites

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