申論題

Directions: Read carefully the below passage about the issue of long-term care in Taiwan. Then write a well-organized short essay of approximately 300 words in English as your response to this passage. 

　　In April this year, Taiwan passed the threshold to officially become an aged society, with more than 14% of the population older than 65. That trend is set to accelerate over the next decade. By 2026, 21% of the population will be senior citizens, making Taiwan a hyper-aged society. While the government has tried to boost the fertility rate, those efforts have largely fallen flat. Taiwan’s birth rate of 1.13 is the third-lowest in the world, down from nearly 1.8 at the turn of the 21st century. Given the growing number of the elderly and the low replacement rate－which means fewer young people to help look after their aged family members－the government has felt the need to develop a robust long-term care plan. Currently Taiwan is in the second stage of an ambitious two-decade program. 紅核(red nucleus)