TAIWAN: Suicide rate among elderly people is on the rise

TAIPEI, Taiwan / The Taipei Times / Taiwan News / September 6, 2011

DOH warns that geriatric suicide rate is on the rise

Staff Writer, with CNA

The suicide rate among elderly people is on the rise, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Sunday, urging the public to help tackle the issue.

The over-65 age group was the only category that showed an increase in the suicide rate last year, rising 7.7 percent from 2009, said Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), director of the Bureau of Medical Affairs, citing department statistics.

With the nation’s overall suicide rate continuing to decrease, self-inflicted death was no longer among the top 10 causes of death in the country as of last year, Shih said.

For four consecutive years, from 2006 until 2009, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death in Taiwan.

Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center chairman Lee Ming-been (李明濱) said the average suicide rate in the country reached a peak of 19.3 self-inflicted deaths per 100,000 people in 2006, with the rate in the over-65 age group reaching 39.3.

In 2009, the average suicide rate shrank to 17.6 per 100,000 people, while the rate in the over-65 age bracket dropped to 35.8 per 100,000 people.

Despite a slight decline in the suicide rate among people over 65, the rate in that age group is still two to three times higher than in all other age groups nationwide, figures released by Taipei City’s Department of Health in June showed.

Shih said the DOH hopes to see the suicide rate among the elderly drop to less than 33 per 100,000 people by the end of this year.

Illness and social isolation were tagged as the major contributing factors, Shih said, adding that mental health, which is often neglected, could also be an issue.

The DOH said the nation’s suicide prevention hotlines, such as 1995, prevented 143 deaths in 2009 and saved 375 lives last year.

Most of those cases were among younger people, since such services are rarely used by the elderly, it said.

Shih urged people to keep in touch with older family members by calling them on the telephone at least once a week and stopping by for a personal visit at least once a month.

According to WHO statistics, the global suicide rate was 16 self-inflicted deaths per 100,000 people in 2009. The WHO predicts that by 2020, 1.5 million people will kill themselves each year.

Copyright © 1999-2011 The Taipei Times
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TAIWAN: Two elderly Taiwanese likely starved to death

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TAIPEI / The Taipei Times / Taiwan News / April 28, 2011

Two elderly sisters found dead in their home probably starved to death, police said yesterday, in a case that has highlighted rising concern over care of the nation’s aging population.

The women, aged 77 and 79, were severely emaciated when their partially decomposed bodies were found on Tuesday in an apartment in Taipei, police said.

Their 74-year-old brother, who appeared to be suffering from dementia, stayed with the corpses for several days before telling a neighbor.

The neighbor contacted the police, who had to force their way into the apartment to remove the bodies.

Police said they suspected that the sisters, who were apparently also suffering from dementia, had died of malnutrition because of a lack of care. Apart from their brother, they had no other living relatives.

Copyright © 1999-2011

TAIWAN: Elderly Tao woman is given her dying wish: to go home

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TAIPEI / The China Post / Taiwan / News / April 5, 2011

Tao woman transported home to die

A dying elderly woman from Orchid Island off Taiwan's southeastern coast finally got her wish yesterday to spend her final days at home when she was safely flown from Taitung County to her birthplace.

A member of the island's indigenous Tao people, the 87-year-old woman named Lee Lin Su-lian in Chinese, was transported home aboard a chartered Daily Air Corp. helicopter around 4 p.m. Monday in the company of her daughter.

Medical staff prepare to transfer a hospice patient to a helicopter in eastern Taiwan's Taitung County yesterday, to send her home to outlying Orchid Island. (CNA)

The 30-minute flight was made possible by the efforts of Taitung County Magistrate Huang Chien-ting, Legislator Lai Kun-cheng, who represents the county, and many others.

Lee, who had been receiving care at a hospice in Taitung, tried to return home over the weekend by ferry, but the ferry operator refused to accept her in light of her condition and the long trip of roughly three hours.

Daily Air agreed on Monday to transport Lee to Orchid Island before collecting the charter, which cost NT$450,000 (US$15,400). Huang signed his name to endorse the deal.

The magistrate took the initiative in raising funds online to pay the company after donating the first NT$50,000 himself.

The matter was particularly pressing for Lee because of the tribe's unique burial customs.

According to Chiang Chu-shan, a folklore culture worker, the Tao (also known as the Yami tribe) consider one's passing an “evil” or “cursed” death if a person dies while traveling or in places other than their birthplace.

It is also the tribe's tradition to have the deceased buried the same day of their death, during the daytime, which would have been impossible for Lee had she died in Taitung County.

Copyright © 1999 – 2011 The China Post.

TAIWAN: Mass wedding in Taipei on a day of longevity

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LONDON, England / The Guardian / Life & Style / September 9, 2010

MASS WEDDING IN TAIPEI: A total of 163 couples were married in a mass ceremony at 9:09am today – the ninth day of the ninth month of the 99th year since the founding of their republic. The word for nine in Chinese sounds like the word for longevity.

Couples pose for a group photograph with Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin at the Taipei Flora Expo Hall. The mass wedding was organised by the City of Taipei. Photograph: Nicky Loh/Reuters













A bride sheds tears as she bows before her mother during a mass wedding in Taipei, Taiwan. Photograph: Wally Santana/AP

© Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

TAIWAN: 55-Year-Old Arrested For Lobbing A Million From Cars!

. TAIPEI, Taiwan / Reuters / April 13, 2009 Taiwan police have arrested a 55-year-old man for lobbing bank notes worth about T$1 million ($29,600) from vehicles, causing disorder in the streets, an officer said on Monday. The man tossed the bills from a taxi in a crowded part of Taichung city on Sunday as people stopped to pick up the cash, Changhua police official Lin Shih-ming said. "He might have had a nervous condition, as his state of mind wasn't normal," Lin said. He is believed to have thrown heaps more money on an earlier road trip starting in the capital Taipei. The man also burned about T$400,000 and had two more sacks of cash, apparently the proceeds of a property sale, Lin said. Some of the passers-by who picked up the bills turned the money over to police, while others pocketed it, he said. The taxi driver turned the man in to police in Changhua county, just south of Taichung The suspect would be charged with public endangerment and destruction of currency, Lin said. Reporting by Ralph Jennings; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani © Thomson Reuters 2009.

TAIWAN: 23 Taiwan-born Chinese senior citizens arrive

. TAIPEI, Taiwan / The China Post / April 4, 2009 A group of 23 high-profile Chinese senior citizens flew into Taipei from Beijing Friday, one day before Tomb-Sweeping Day, for a 10-day visit in the land where they were born but have grown apart from over the past 60 years. (CNA) The group composed of elite Taiwanese men and women in China, led by Lin Liyun, an adviser to the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport to a warm greeting from friends and relatives. Lin, a member of the Communist Party's Central Committee for five terms and who once served as Japanese secretary to late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, is China's most prominent female politician from Taiwan. Lin thanked “Taiwanese compatriots” for the hospitality she immediately felt upon arriving in Taiwan and expressed hope for a continued turnabout in cross-Taiwan Strait relations. Since settling in Beijing in 1952, she had previously visited Taiwan only once, in 1999. She still has relatives in Taiwan. The group's visit to Taiwan, the first of its kind in 60 years, was possible as a result of improved ties between the two countries over the past year. Hsu Wun-pin, an adviser to President Ma Ying-jeou, helped arrange the group's visit. Most of the group's members moved to China after 1949, when the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan after losing China's civil war, and had been denied entry to Taiwan several times as a result of the delicate political situation across the Taiwan Strait. Two members of the group had never returned to Taiwan since leaving their hometowns in their youth. The eldest of the group members is 86 years old and the youngest, 73. During their 10-day visit in Taiwan, they will tour cultural and scenic attractions, including Sun Moon Lake in central Nantou County, and Taroko National Park and the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation in eastern Hualien County. Ma and Tu also arranged to sell some of their own structural notes, government bonds, and corporate bonds to Yuanta Securities at marked-up prices, causing the brokerage firm to lose another NT$330 million. The five other co-defendants in the case are incumbent or former executives of the Yuanta group. Prosecutors are asking for four years of imprisonment for four of the co-defendants. The Yuanta Group declined to comment on the indictment, saying they had yet to receive the court papers. It said neither Ma nor Tu had any comments to make in the meantime, and the matter would be handled by their lawyers. Prosecutors raided Yuanta's premises last July. The brokerage firm's parent company, Yuanta Financial Holding Co., at the time said all transactions were conducted in accordance with regulations. Copyright © 1999 – 2008 The China Post ...... Related report Elderly Taiwanese in China visit Taiwan after six decades TAIPEI, Taiwan / Taiwan News / Central News Agency / April 4, 2009 A group of Taiwanese over the age of 70 flew from Beijing to Taiwan today, the day before this year's Tomb-Sweeping Day, for a 10-day visit to search for their roots. Lin Liyun, an adviser with the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), will serve as group leader. The group's visit to Taiwan, the first of its kind in 60 years, has become possible as a result of improved ties between the two sides over the past year. A tea party was held yesterday in Beijing by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots to see off the travelers - the eldest of whom is 86 and the youngest, 73. April 4 or 5 every year marks the Tomb-Sweeping Day to remember one's elderly departed. All 15 people moved to China after 1949 when Taiwan and China split into separate rule, and most of them had been denied entry to Taiwan several times as a result of the delicate political situation across the Taiwan Strait. Two of them have never returned to Taiwan. Lin, who served as Japanese secretary to the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, visited Taiwan once in 1999 after she settled in Beijing in 1952. She still has relatives in Taiwan. © 2009 Taiwan News

TAIWAN: "We all die one day, but antiques remain," says minister

. TAIPEI, Taiwan / Taipei Times / January 30, 2009 By Shih Hsiu-chuan, Staff Reporter Government Information Office Minister Su Jun-pin likes to collect antiques, especially items connected with Taiwanese folk culture. “We all die one day, but antiques remain. Antiques should be preserved and not destroyed just because people die,” Su said as he displayed dozens of his collection of molds used to make red sticky rice cakes, a popular Taiwanese treat at Lunar New Year and other festivals. The dough is dyed red for auspiciousness and pressed into a tortoise-shaped mold to create a shape akin to a turtle shell to symbolize longevity. Su started his collection 16 years ago, each with a story to tell. “This, the biggest one I have, I found by accident in Tainan. It cost me almost NT$10,000 and was used especially at temple fairs. My father bought this one for me, this one was given to me by my nanny, and I bought this from a scrap-collector for a very cheap price,” Su said as he showed off his treasured collection. He was attracted by the traditional and delicate designs on the molds, many of which are engraved with images of coins, fish, peaches and the Chinese character for longevity. “Last time I moved, it took a 3.5 tonne truck two trips to transport all of them,” he said. Copyright © 1999-2009 The Taipei Times.

TAIWAN: Student fakes grandfather's death to claim funeral subsidy

. TAIPEI, Taiwan / DPA / December 27, 2008 A Taiwan university student has been indicted for falsifying the death of his grandfather, granduncle and grandaunt to claim funeral subsidies from a senior citizens' club, a newspaper said on Saturday. Chang Ying-chieh, 23, a law student at an unnamed university, decided to claim the funeral subsidy for her grandfather, granduncle and grandaunt in June because she was short of money, the Liberty Times said. Chang's grandfather, granduncle and grandaunt had paid a fee to join the Evergreen Club in Taichung city, central Taiwan. The club organizes activities for its members. When a member dies, it offers 600,000 Taiwan dollars (1,800 US dollars) in funeral subsidy. Chang used her computer to falsify death certificates for her elderly relatives, claiming they had died from illnesses at three different hospitals. Chang took the death certificates to the Evergreen Club to claim a total of 180,000 Taiwan dollars. Staff at the club found the death certificates suspicious because they had not been stamped with seals from the three hospitals, so they reported her to police. On Friday, the Taichung District Court indicted Chang on charges of document forgery and fraud. SOURCE: The Earth Times

TAIWAN: Foundation seeking innovative ideas on caring for the elderly

. TAIPEI, Taiwan / TAIWAN NEWS - Central News Agency / December 21, 2008 People with sound ideas on providing care for the elderly have a chance to win NT$30,000 (NT$992) in a competition sponsored by the Hondao Foundation in Taichung City to solicit such ideas. The foundation, which is dedicated to the welfare of the country's senior citizens, said in a press release that it is seeking to develop an innovative action program to care for the society's "grandpas and grandmas". Proposals should be presented before the dealine of December 25 in no more than 100 Chinese characters, and will be judged at three different levels -- kindergarten and elementary school students, middle school to university students, and other adults. The foundation has suggested that the proposals detail any of six broad areas of elderly care -- diet, clothing, accommodation, transportation, education and recreation. In order to instill in the public a sense of appreciation for the elderly, the foundation has designated the second Sunday of January each year as "Grandpa and Grandma Day," and will mark it with activities to show care and respect for senior citizens. © 2008 Taiwan News

TAIWAN: What do you give a man with eight 'wives'?

. TAIPEI, TAIWAN (Agence France Presse), November 19, 2008 A Taiwanese man with eight "wives" and 32 children said on Wednesday he expected to collect $4 500 (about R45 000) in shopping vouchers to become the largest beneficiary of the new scheme. "It seems that my family will benefit the most from the programme. I am very grateful, it will help us a lot," a smiling Liu Ho-mu told local television. Liu, a self-proclaimed "spiritual teacher," has for more than 20 years lived with eight women who have borne him 32 children in central Changhua county. He attracted attention four years ago when women's rights groups urged prosecutors to look into his multiple relationships, as bigamy is a criminal offense in Taiwan punishable with a maximum five-year prison term. But Liu has claimed that all his wedding ceremonies were presided over by "gods, ghosts and Buddha" and that he broke no law because he did not officially register any of the relationships as formal marriages. His 41-member family is entitled to 147 600 Taiwan dollars (about $4 500, or R45 000) under a shopping vouchers scheme unveiled by the government on Tuesday in a bid to stimulate spending and boost the economy. Under the scheme, the island's 23 million people regardless of age or wealth will be given 3 600 Taiwan dollars. The programme is expected to cost some 82 billion Taiwan dollars and contribute a 0,64 percent increase in the 2009 GDP, officials said. - AFP

TAIWAN: We old ladies dance too

. TAIPEI, Taiwan (Taiwan News), October 4, 2008: She tangoed energetically, waltzed gracefully and quickstepped livelily with her partner on the dance floor, enjoying herself and entertaining the spectators. Her fluid movements were constantly dynamic, and at times she seemed to be floating, twirling to quick and complex cadences. At 83, Sung Yu-heng is more than alive and well. She is truly kicking. With the figure of a teenaged girl, she dances like a pro. Eighty-three-year-old Sung Yu-heng, right, dances with a male companion. The elderly woman took up dancing when she was 76 and is having the time of her life. The retired Chiayi school teacher, who is a widow, began to dance only seven years ago, but has since wowed audiences all over Taiwan, shattering stereotypes and traditional beliefs about the kind of life elderly people should lead. While many of her counterparts in Taiwan spend their days chatting in parks, taking care of grandkids or shopping and cooking for their families, Sung practices complicated dance steps for two hours during most days of the week. Through her lifestyle, she has encouraged her peers to get out there, if not to hit the dance floor, then to live their golden years to the fullest. "I never thought my life would turn out this way...so energetic and happy," Sung said. Sung came in contact with dancing accidentally, at age 76. After her retirement, she said she worked in the morning as a quality control worker at one of the electronic factories owned by her daughter and son "to keep an eye on the children." She also spent a lot of time trading stocks by phone "to make some petty money, " and played mahjong with friends into the evening "to prevent from developing senile dementia." When her health began to decline and her wallet began to thin from all the stocks trading and mahjong playing, Sung told one of her mahjong partners that she probably needed to "overhaul" her lifestyle once and for all, such as by doing some physical exercises which were also fun. Several days later, her friends took her to a dance club, where people danced social dance and made friends. In the beginning, she was not fascinated by social dancing at all. "It was nothing but two people pushing and pulling," Sung said. After about a year of on-and-off social dancing, a teacher of international standard dances, Shih Ta-chien, who later became her coach, realized Sung was potentially talented and "can be carved into a piece of jewel." Shih, a professional ballroom dancer, persuaded Sung to be his student, recognizing that Sung had the conditions to be a good dancer, despite her age. Partly because she was attracted by the 41-year-old Shih's charms, Sung became a good pupil, taking two-hour courses, four times a week. She later proved Shih right. After studying with Shih for several years, Sung said she progressed from "having two left feet" to a respectable level, albeit with a lot of hard work and money too. "Sung has a good physique with muscles and bones that were much younger than her age and first and foremost, dancing is so natural for her like it was all in her blood," Shih said. Shih's encouragement and spectators' applause at small dance events gave Sung a huge source of confidence, spurring her to want to learn more to master the steps and push herself. Amazingly, Sung said, after putting in the effort and enjoying the process, she has become healthier than she was six years ago. And most importantly, she feels carefree and lighthearted every time she walks away from the dance studio after two hours of sweating. "You expect more and more of yourself; it's something like an addictive feeling," she said. Fame came naturally as Sung gained increased attention. She and Shih have been invited to show off their dance moves in Southeast Asia and Sung even danced recently in Shanghai with Zhou Jitian–one of the top dance sport athletes in China. Zhou and his partner won the championship in the tango competition in the 2005 East Asian Games and the title for New Stars in the tango category in the World International Standard Dance Championship held in Germany in 2006. Sung and Shih have appeared and danced in many of the major television variety shows in Taiwan and have been invited to appear on other educational TV programs. She was cited by local TV hosts as a role model for retirees seeking to stay healthy and spend their later years happily. The rejuvenated Sung's greatest dream now is to take part in international standard dance competitions abroad -- including, if possible, competitions in Blackpool, England, the mecca of professional ballroom dancers from around the world. Meanwhile, Sung's children have turned a blind eye to her expenditures on private lessons, dinners for the instructor, transportation and an enlarging wardrobe of sequins and slick dresses -- while they steadily increased the money they regularly give her. "So long as mother stays happy and healthy, the money we pay for her dancing is much more worthwhile than paying for caretakers or medical bills, " said Sung's daughter, who manages manufacturing operations from Taipei County to Shenzhen, Shanghai and Kunshan city in China's eastern province of Jiangsu. A born athletic type, Sung said that of the five varieties of the modern category of ballroom dancing, she likes skate, or Vienna waltz the most, enjoying its crisp yet smooth tempo, and slower pace compared to the quickstep. In February Sung and her instructor were special guests at the closing gala of the 2008 Professional Dance Championships Asian Tour Taipei Open. After demonstrating their perfect footwork, the pair was given a standing ovation by the packed audience, many of whom leading professional dancers from around the world. The audience went wild with amazement when Sung spun clockwise in her record high of 33 times at one stroke. Audience members were particularly ecstatic upon hearing from the emcee that the dancing lady was 83 years old. Dancing by the elderly has become more popular in Taiwan in recent years, partly because of a declining birth rate which leaves many retirees free from the responsibility of caring for their grandchildren. Awareness of the benefits of exercising and of living a full life after retirement has also grown. Many retirees in Taiwan often join dance activities at parks or community centers in the early morning, after dinner or on weekends. Swimming and dancing are the best forms of exercise, said Shih, adding that dancing, however, is more sociable. "You get a mouthful of water if you try to talk while swimming," he said. Few sports that human beings do are as healing as dancing, Shih said, explaining that when you dance, you constantly do backward strokes or reverse movement which help the body of the dancer to rejuvenate. But most elderly people dance for exercise or just for fun. Sung is unique, as she has advanced to professional level. "If possible, I will dance till I'm 120...I'm still so young, " Sung said. © 2008 Taiwan News

TAIWAN: Double Ninth Day On October 7 This Year Will Honour Seniors

. TAIPEI, Taiwan (ChinaPost), September 17, 2008: The China Post news staff Longevity, according to the Bible, is 70-80 years. Centenarians, people who are 100 years old or more, are the seniors of all seniors. They are the fastest growing part of humankind. In Taiwan, there were 1,962 centenarians in 2007, compared to just 291 in 1992, the year the government started to include their numbers in annual population reports. Back then, Taiwan had 212 men and 79 women aged 100 or more. Last year, the figures rose to 1,005 men and 957 women. Worldwide, centenarians number about 450,000. There are no exact figures, since many centenarians live in developing or outlying areas, where census data is not often available. The United States has the most centenarians with current estimates as high as 72,000. If the U.S. population of centenarians continues to increase at its current rate, there could be close to 1 million people of 100 years of age or more by 2050. Japan is second, with a record 36,276 by the end of September, and the number of women exceeding 30,000 for the first time, according to government figures released Friday. The total has almost quadrupled in the last 10 years, giving the centenarian population in Japan the most dramatic rise over anywhere else. This year, the overall number of centenarians in Japan will increase 3,981 from last year, as the ranks of men beyond the century mark swell by 450 to 5,063, breaking the 5,000 record for the first time. The number of female centenarians will be up 3,531 to 31,213. Women continue to make up the vast majority of centenarians, accounting for 86 percent. Of Japan's 47 prefectures, Okinawa has the largest proportion, with 61.03 per 100,000 people, maintaining the top position for the 36th straight year. At its current rate of expansion, Japan's population of centenarians will rival that of the United States in sheer numbers soon. By 2050, Japan proportionally will have the most centenarians in the world. In proportion to its large population, China does not have a high percentage of centenarians, officially about 7,000 in the last census. However, with the rate of expansion of the population, and the number of centenarians increasing proportionally, it is estimated that in total numbers, China will actually lead the world population of centenarians by 2050, with over 450,000. In the United States, centenarians traditionally receive a letter from the president upon reaching their 100th birthday. NBC's Today Show has also named them on air since 1983. Japanese centenarians receive a silver cup and a certificate from the prime minister upon reaching their 100th birthday. September 15 is Japan's "Day of National Respect for the Aged." In Taiwan, the Double Ninth (the ninth day of the ninth moon) Festival, which falls on October 7 this year, is designated to honor senior citizens. Since 1966, Senior Citizens' Week is observed from the ninth to the 15th day of the lunar calendar. Legend says Matsu, goddess of the sea, climbed a mountain overlooking the sea that day in search of her father, missing while fishing. The day is observed in remembrance of Matsu's filial piety. Copyright © 2008 The China Post.

TAIWAN: Taipei promotes ‘help’ devices for elderly population

. TAIPEI, Taiwan (Taipei Times), September 7, 2008: The Taipei City Government yesterday urged senior citizens with a medium or low income who are living alone to apply for free devices that would allow them to summon help easily in case of an emergency. Those eligible will receive a set of personal-response devices, including a main server for their home, fire and gas detectors and a waterproof help button that can be worn as a pendant or wristband, said Cheng Wen-huei, an official at the Department of Social Affairs. The help button activates the home unit, which is connected to the service’s monitoring center. Officials at the center will immediately send personnel to assess the situation and provide assistance, he said. MONITORING The city government launched the measure four years ago. Today, about 1,600 senior citizens in the city are covered by the 24-hour monitoring service, which is operated by the Taiwanese branch of the US company Lifeline System, Cheng said. The company provides personal medical alert and emergency response services to seniors and the disabled. The Taiwanese branch also works with local governments and medical institutions. Cheng said the elderly can submit their applications to the department, adding that the fire department would help install the devices. CONTACT Once a month, social workers and medical care personnel from the social affairs department will visit senior citizens who are living alone and contact them by telephone once a week to evaluate their living conditions. Starting in January, Cheng said, the city government will also give free wristbands to seniors with medium and low-income who are prone to get lost. The wristbands can help police locate missing people. Copyright © 1999-2008 The Taipei Times.

TAIWAN: Being a happy clapper is risky

TAIPEI (The Star, South Africa), August 4, 2008: Gangsters in Taiwan have told early morning exercisers to stop clapping their hands, or else, cable TV channel ETTV has reported. Many Taiwanese believe clapping while walking can improve their health; making a loud noise is believed to stimulate blood circulation, increase chi - the Chinese term for life energy - and cure many internal diseases. But now the "morning clappers" have been warned to keep quiet as they are disturbing the gangsters' sleep. Recently, warning notices have been pasted on trees along the Love River in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, saying: "We suggest you stop clapping hands. If you continue to make noise and disturb our sleep, you must shoulder all the consequences." - Sapa-dpa

TAIWAN: Bladder trouble tied to depression

TAIPEI, Taiwan (Reuters), May 12, 2008: By Michelle Rizzo Women who suffer from "dysfunctional voiding" - like having to urinate often and having difficulty voiding - experience a greater degree of depression and anxiety compared to women without these symptoms, research suggests. "Dysfunctional voiding... is more commonly seen in recent years," Dr. Alex T. L. Lin, of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, told Reuters Health. "Although we suspect that depression and anxiety are reactions to the dysfunctional voiding, we could not preclude the possibility that psychological abnormalities might predispose one to the occurrence of lower urinary tract dysfunction," he commented. Lin noted that the stressful environment of modern society might be a contributing factor for the increased incidence of dysfunctional voiding. "From our observations, avoiding stressful situations and stress-reduction are important to prevent dysfunctional voiding," Lin advised. Lin and colleagues assessed anxiety and depression symptoms among 32 women with dysfunctional voiding and 31 asymptomatic control women with no lower urinary tract symptoms. The average age of the women studied was 48 years. The women with dysfunctional voiding scored markedly higher on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A). The patients had an average HRSD score of 16,9, compared with 4,3 in controls. The mean HAM-A score for patients was 21,2 and 4,8 for controls. A significantly greater degree of depression and anxiety was observed among patients with dysfunctional voiding compared to controls. "For patients with dysfunctional voiding, psychological intervention to reduce anxiety and depression should be an indispensable part of the treatment plan," Lin said. The researchers' next step is to assess the treatment benefit of psychological interventions on dysfunctional voiding. Source: Reuters

TAIWAN: Son hires stripper for his 103-year-old father’s funeral

LEEDS, England (Ananova),
March 25, 2008:

A Taiwanese man hired an erotic dancer to perform at his 103-year-old father's funeral. The stripper danced in front of Cai Jinlai's coffin for more than ten minutes at the funeral in Taizhong town.

Son, Cai Ruigong, paid her more than £80 to dance in memory of his late father, reports United Daily News.

Cai Ruigong says he promised his father a stripper for his funeral if he lived beyond the age of 100.

Cai Jinlai passed away at the age of 103 after a three mile walk into town to vote. He was the oldest person in his village and had more than 100 descendants.

His son said his father was famous locally for his interest in strip clubs: "He would travel around the island with his friends to see these shows," he added.

Copyright © 2008 Ananova Ltd

TAIWAN: Elderly people turn out in big numbers to vote

Elderly people in wheelchairs or using walking sticks chatted easily to one another while waiting in line, while many younger voters appeared somber

TAIPEI, Taiwan (The China Post), March 24, 2008:

Taiwan voters just want a better life and economy, declared Benjamin Yeh, reporting for AFP in The China Post, March 23.......

Chou, a 50-year-old Taiwanese businessman based in Shanghai who would only give his surname, said he had returned to vote with his wife.

"Taiwan needs to change, and if the change of power does not happen and things remain the way they are, I think Taiwan is doomed."
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Ma Ying-jeou, 57, seen in photo below, won the elections and was declared the new president of Taiwan.
Photo courtesy: Romeo Gacad / AFP / Getty

Taiwan's 17.3 million voters were also asked Saturday to vote on two rival referendums on joining the United Nations. The island lost its seat to mainland China in 1971 and has been blocked from returning ever since. Neither was expected to reach the required turnout threshold. "They're useless," one man in his 70s was overheard saying.

"Whether they pass or not there is no chance of Taiwan joining the U.N., so why bother to vote?"

Copyright © 1999-2008 The China Post

TAIWAN: Doctors urge risk groups to use free glaucoma testing

TAIPEI, Taiwan (Taipei Times), March 6, 2008: While glaucoma is the second-most common cause of blindness worldwide, it is the leading cause of blindness in Taiwan, doctors said yesterday in an attempt to raise awareness of the importance of screening for glaucoma. "Unlike cataracts, the leading cause of blindness worldwide, damage to vision caused by glaucoma is irreversible," said Liu Rui-ling (劉瑞玲), Taipei Veteran's Hospital's glaucoma specialist. It is estimated that 300,000 people in Taiwan have glaucoma. However, because the early stages of glaucoma do not have obvious symptoms, most sufferers do not seek medical attention in time. Since glaucoma screening is free under the National Health Insurance system, Liu and Lu Da-wen, a glaucoma specialist at Tri-Veterans' General Hospital, urged those at risk from the condition to get tested. At risk groups include those who have family members suffering from glaucoma, experienced an unexplained deterioration in their eyesight or have poor night vision, those suffering from chronic headaches, high blood pressure or diabetes and those above the age of 40. By Angelica Oung Copyright © 1999-2008 The Taipei Times.

TAIWAN: Occupancy At Elderly Care Institutions At 75%

TAIPEI, Taiwan (China Post - CNA), December 9, 2007: The occupancy rate of long-term elderly care institutions around Taiwan has reached 75 percent as demand continues to increase with the graying of the country's population, according to tallies released Saturday by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI). As of the end of October, people aged 65 and older totalled 2.33 million in Taiwan, MOI officials, adding that the number has been increasing every year. While there are a total of 1,015 long-term elderly care institutions around the country with the capacity to accommodate a total of 62,000 residents, 46,546 seniors, or 2 percent of the elderly population, are residing in these institutions, the officials said. Taipei County is home to the largest number of long-term elderly care institutions at 194, followed by Taipei City at 171 and Kaohsiung City at 68, they said. In terms of occupancy rate, Hsinchu City records the highest level at 91 percent, and Liangchiang County has the lowest level at 25 percent, they added. Copyright © 1999 – 2007 The China Post

TAIWAN: Experts Warn Seniors Against Risky Exercises

TAIPEI, Taiwan (The Taipei Times), October 28, 2007: The first light of day usually brings a flurry of activity in parks and public spaces across the country. Many senior citizens can be seen exercising, with some doing light, brisk walking, dancing, playing badminton or practicing a host of traditional exercises. But a more curious activity involving slamming one's body hard against a tree or wall has become increasingly popular among the elderly. The exercise, known as "wall-butting" (撞牆功), has picked up because some seniors seem to think "if it's good enough for Wang Yung-ching (王永慶 )" -- chairman of the Formosa Plastics Group and the richest man in the country -- "then it must be good enough for me," said Chien Wen-jen (簡文仁), director of the National Federation of Associations of Physical Therapists. ____________________________________________________________________ "If you must, choose pebble walkways with larger, round pebbles. Smaller pebbles can provide too much pressure and possibly cause plantar fascitis, or an irritation of the elastic tissue at the bottom of the foot." Chien Wen-jen, director of the National Federation of Associations of Physical Therapists ____________________________________________________________________ Wall-butting involves falling backward and hitting a hard, upright object. Practitioners believe that the move, which is adapted from a tai chi exercise, helps them get rid of aches and pain. However, Chien said that wall-butting and other folk exercises could hurt rather than help the elderly. "Some like to fall back onto the trees really hard," he said. "It can actually exacerbate their back condition." Chien told the Taipei Times that he had tried several times to dissuade the elderly whenever he saw them doing exercises he considered risky or counterproductive. However, his advice was often politely ignored. "They might have heard from their peers that so-and-so's backache disappeared after doing some particular move," Chien said. "All I can do is remind them that just because something worked for somebody, it does not mean it's right for everyone." Aside from wall-butting, popular folk exercises include lying and arching their backs over large tires partially buried in the ground and then hoisting themselves up using their arms and doing a pirouette on tiptoe, or flinging their arms back and forth vigorously as they walk, an exercise literally known as "arm flinging" (甩手). Many parks around the country also feature pebble walkways designed to massage the soles of the feet by walking over them barefoot. Like many exercises popular with the elderly, the pebble walkway exercise is based on folk medicine principles, ie, reflexology. Practitioners of reflexology believe that massaging pressure points on the sole of the foot corresponding to different parts of the body can improve general health. "If you must, choose pebble walkways with larger, round pebbles," Chien said. "Smaller pebbles can provide too much pressure and possibly cause plantar fascitis, or an irritation of the elastic tissue at the bottom of the foot," he said. Chien's fears for the health of seniors who practice overly taxing or even dangerous folk exercises were borne out by a recent news report. A 65-year-old woman from Kaohsiung became wheelchair bound after practicing arching her back over half-buried standing tires in an effort to get rid of her spinal bone spurs for almost two years. Ho Chih-chun (何治軍), a neurosurgeon at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital who treated the woman, was quoted by the Chinese-language United Daily News as saying that the woman's spinal column had become unstable after repeatedly overextending her back, causing the ligaments between her spinal discs to become fatigued. The woman regained the use of her legs after spinal surgery. Ho cited two other cases where folk exercise resulted in injury. Both cases involved men who twisted their necks doing rapid head flings. Taipei is trying to phase out equipment of questionable health value, such as pebble pathways and half-buried tires, said Teddy Kao (高道涵), spokesman for the city's Parks and Street Lights Office. "Most equipment like that are leftovers from an earlier period," Kao said. "For instance, most of the pebble pathways were installed eight or nine years ago when reflexology was all the rage." "As for the tires ... they're cheap. So many parks just dug holes and plopped them in as cheap equipment," he said. Kao said that the office could not simply remove such equipment because residents had gotten used to them and many would be upset if they were removed. However, signs have been put up in many parks, warning people of their potential danger, Kao said. "When they finally break, they will not be replaced," Kao said. Kao said he hoped that increased media coverage could persuade more seniors to give up dangerous or risky exercises. "It's alarming," said Kao, describing his experience seeing and hearing senior citizens slam backward into trees. "They hit the tree hard and let out a roar." "They do not listen to our recommendations because they have their own ideas," he said. By Angelica Oung Copyright © 1999-2007 The Taipei Times