Long-term care expansion to start next weekBy Lin Chih-yi, Lo Kuo-chia and William Hetherington / Staff reporters, with staff writerThe Ministry of Health and Welfare is to launch the second stage of its Long-term Care 3.0 on Thursday next week, expanding dementia services and upgrading community-based care as Taiwan transitions to a “super-aged” society. It also expanded the scope and payment limits of community-based transportation services, increased the reimbursement for nutritional care services and adjusted the content of home respite services. Under Long-term Care 3.0, eligibility for long-term care services would be expanded to include people with early-onset dementia — defined as those younger than 50 with functional impairments — to enable earlier intervention, the ministry said. People with very mild or mild dementia who retain mobility could attend community-based dementia centers, while those with BPSD could use designated centers, he said. Those with long-term care needs could access home-based or community care services, while people requiring 24-hour intensive care could move to group homes or designated sections of residential institutions.
