This document discusses evaluating the level of age-friendliness in rural areas of Taiwan. It begins by outlining the research motivation and purpose, which is to investigate differences between urban and rural areas for elders and evaluate the elderly living environment in rural Taiwan. Next, it describes the research methods used, including conducting in-depth interviews with elders in a rural village based on an 8 domain framework. Finally, it presents initial criteria for evaluating age-friendliness in rural areas based on the literature review and interview findings.

1. Evaluating the level of Age-Friendly of Rural Areas in Taiwan
T.Y. Chao
Department of Urban Planning, National Cheng-Kung University, Assistant Professor
W.Y. Hsieh
Department of Urban Planning, National Cheng-Kung University, Master Student
2012/7/13 1

2. Research motive
and purpose
Definition of research
Literature Review
Research method
conclusion
2012/7/13 2

3. 1. Research motive and purpose
• Ageing trend in whole world
• Ageing situation is more serious in country area
• Studies in Taiwan identified a variety of issues that have been deeply
discussed, but few has been evaluated in a comprehensive way.
Research purpose
(1)Investigate the differences between urban and rural areas for elders.
(2)Investigate the elderly living environment degree in Taiwan rural areas .
(3)Build the evaluation criteria
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4. 2. Definition of research
Elders will face different issues from different settlement (eg. urban, rural, fishing
village, etc.). According to literature reviews, this study conclude the characteristics of
“rural area” as follows:
(1) Mainly agricultural use.
(2) Plain rural areas
(3) Poor links with urban areas
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5. 3. Literature Review
Separate to two parts:
3.1.Reviewing the differences between the elders physical and mental
health, living style and living environment in different areas.
No. of diseases/
physical and
Reflect the individual differences
physical function/
mental with the different quality of life in
self-rated health/
cognitive function
health the same environment.
living reflect the quality of life will
living style
environment change as in different
exterior environment
family structure/
interpersonal relationships/ housing/
financial resources/ transportation/
job profile/ infrastructure/
leisure activities/ medical facilities
the use of technology
3.2.Reviewing the Age-Friendly Rural and Remote Communities: A Guide,
2012/7/13 refer to the characteristics of elders in Taiwan’s rural area
and 5

6. Jinsha Village
4.Research Method
4.1.Study Area
Taiwan Tainan City Shigang District
Elderly population: 190 people (in March,2012)
Jinsha Village Percentage of elderly population: 20%
Senior citizens living alone: about 20 people
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7. 4.Research Method
4.1.Study Area
• This study choose one
settlement that is further
from the care center.
• Interviewees are 2 women
and 4 men, and one of
them is living alone
• Interview date: 2012/5/4
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8. 4.Research Method
4.2. In-depth interview
Take the Canadian 8 domains of “Age-Friendly Rural and Remote
Communities: A Guide” as base, adjusting by the state of Taiwan through
the literature reviews to acquaint the comparing items about the
difference between urban and rural areas for elders in Taiwan, drafting
the content of in-depth interview
Literature Review According
Draft the the result of
The differences between content interview to To build the
the elderly living in urban of in- investigate evaluation
and rural areas in Taiwan depth the elderly criteria of
interview living elderly living
Canadian“Age-Friendly and environment environment
Rural and Remote proceed degree in in rural area
Communities: A Guide” interview Taiwan rural
areas
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9. 4.Research Method
4.3.the analysis of basic information
interviewee 1 2 3 4 5 6 phenomenon
Male(live
Gender female male
alone)
female male male -
age
67 70 80 79 65 77 -
vision Having bad and
Presbyopia good ok bad good bad
good
Bad
(has no Hearing is
hearing good good good good good
hearing general good
aid)
ability to act is
ability to act good good good good good Good
general good
Most of them
High
have small
other chronic none none blood none none None
pressure sickness, less
have chronic,
Most live in
single-story
single- single- single- single-
single-story townhous house, others
housing story story story story
house
house house house
e
house live in two to
three-stories
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house

10. 4.Research Method
4.4. the analysis of interviewing information
8 domains of ageing
The content of interview The results
friendly
Outdoor Spaces and • What are your main purpose when you go Mostly elders go out for farming, and by bicycle
Buildings out? or motorcycle
• What is your main manner to go out?
Transportation - -
Housing - -
Respect and Social • Whether do you often go out for chatting Most elders think that the young generation are
Inclusion with neighborhood or exercising in park or getting more unconcerned with neighborhoods.
play chess… According to this , we can conjecture that elders
• Do you think the young respect elders? value the interactions with their neighbor thus
the situation of social exclusion is rare
Social Participation • How often do you attend activity held by Most elders will attend the community activities,
community? but the frequency is uncertain. The reason for not
• What will be the reasons that you do not attending activities is usually “having no
attend these activity? information”, secondly, “having no time due to
busy farming”
Communication and
- -
Information
Most elders still go out for farming, indicating
Civic Participation
• Are you still working? What is your job? Why farming consumed time and they have no time to
and Employment
you still do so? do other activities. Besides, they earned very
Opportunities
slight money to support their live
Community Support
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- -
and Health Services

11. 4.Research Method
4.4. the analysis of interviewing information
• In the process of interview, elders do not have much complaint about
the quality of life.
• Most of them think that they have already got used to the environment.
The elder only complain about the complicated and tiring process of
farming.
• They point out that the government should emphasize on subsidies to
improve the quality of life.
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12. 5. Conclusion
According to the literate review and in-depth interview, this study build a
initial step of evaluating criteria, taking as reference regarding to the
development of ageing in Taiwan rural areas.
8 domains of ageing
reason Criteria of evaluating
friendly
Outdoor Spaces and Elders often go back and forth between The level of ageing friendly in farm road, including
Buildings home and farm.. the width of road, the rise and fall of road
Transportation Rural area is lack of public
The safety, comfortable, and inclusion of
transportation, and the farming road is
motorcycle
narrow, thus mostly riding motorcycle
Housing - -
Respect and Social
- -
Inclusion
Social Participation Community activities usually centralized
The distance from activity places to house, and
in care center, and local temple, big
the advertisement of activities
banyan…
Communication and
- -
Information
Most elders still go out for farming,
Civic Participation and indicating that farming is time- The kinds of work which meet the physical
Employment consuming and they have no time for strength of the elderly; degree of assistance for
Opportunities other activities. Besides, they earned work
very slight money to support their lives
Some settlements are far from the care
Community Support The establishment of injury, illness reporting
2012/7/13 center, especially dangerous for the 12
and Health Services system for elders living alone
elders living alone.

13. 5. Conclusion
This study focuses on the evaluation criteria in Jinsha Village.
This criteria follows the 8 domains defined by WHO to check the elderly
living environment, so that it can be inspected in a comprehensive way.
This criteria can also be applied to rural areas with the same definition,
which make the places to adjust its optimal ageing-friendly indicators
(according to/with) its characteristics.
In the following, the study may emphasize on the classification of
different settlements to fit their characteristics of ageing-friendly.
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