Breaking Ground on Luming Day Care Center in Lukang, Changhua County to Enhance Local All-Age Care Services

The groundbreaking ceremony for the 'New Construction Project of the Luming Day Care Center in Lukang Township, Changhua County' was held today (28th), attended by Changhua County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei, Senior Technical Specialist Pai Shan-chi from the Long-Term Care Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, along with various elected officials and distinguished guests, who jointly turned the soil to mark a crucial milestone in local long-term care and childcare infrastructure development.

Magistrate Wang stated that the project receives a central government subsidy of NT$74,116,000, and expressed gratitude to Speaker Hsieh Tien-lin and all county councilors for their financial support. The county government has contributed NT$120,794,113, bringing the total budget to NT$194,910,113 for constructing a four-story integrated long-term care and welfare building on a site of approximately 428 ping. The county continues to integrate central and local resources to build comprehensive care hubs combining childcare, long-term care, child and youth welfare, and health promotion, providing residents with more convenient welfare services. Completion is scheduled for 2028 (R.O.C. Year 117), offering shared use for residents from 0 to 100 years of age.

Wang Hui-mei noted that the site spans over 400 ping, with a planned total floor area exceeding 700 ping. Unlike past projects where interior decoration followed construction, this project includes renovation and equipment costs in the initial planning, ensuring that interior finishes and equipment are fully installed upon completion, allowing seniors to receive high-quality care promptly.

She explained that the first floor will house a daycare center accommodating 60 infants, providing affordable, high-quality childcare services. The monthly fee of NT$7,000 is fully subsidized by the government, and with one caregiver for every four children, the ratio exceeds the legal requirement of 1:5, aiming to reduce the burden on young parents while ensuring optimal care for children. The second floor will serve as a day care center for 60 seniors, supporting aging in place with the best possible care. The third floor will function as a child and youth welfare hub, integrating life support, learning assistance, and diverse care resources to promote healthy development and enhance overall welfare capacity. The fourth floor will be a senior health promotion and multipurpose space, offering dynamic and static activity areas for various health-promoting programs to delay aging, prevent diseases, and create a healthy, active lifestyle.

Legislator Hsieh Yi-feng stated that under the leadership of Magistrate Wang Hui-mei and with strong support from all county councilors, the construction of Changhua's welfare buildings is progressing smoothly, providing comprehensive intergenerational care. This not only ensures quality childcare for infants but also allows seniors to age securely, significantly improving local residents' quality of life.

Pai Shan-chi, Senior Technical Specialist from the Long-Term Care Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, expressed gratitude to Magistrate Wang and her team, emphasizing that this building will not only serve seniors with effective health promotion but also provide quality childcare, achieving the vision of 'care for the elderly, support for the young.' With Magistrate Wang's strong support for long-term care resources, Changhua County has invested in over 800 long-term care sites. The central government hopes to continue collaborating with local authorities to advance Long-Term Care 3.0, enabling all seniors to live longer and better in their communities, fulfilling the important goal of Healthy Taiwan.

Councilor Tu Shu-mei stated that the community has long anticipated the multifunctional Luming Social Welfare Building with both day care and daycare services. When the location was first announced, residents were overjoyed and repeatedly asked her if it was true. Today's groundbreaking ceremony proves it is real, she said, adding, 'The magistrate doesn't lie,' and wished the project a smooth and successful completion.

According to the Social Affairs Bureau, children under 2 years old account for about 1.1% of Changhua County's total population, while seniors aged 65 and above account for approximately 20.7%. In Lukang Township, children under 2 and seniors over 65 make up about 1.1% and 19.16% of the population, respectively. Facing demographic trends of low birthrate and aging, the county continues to promote the construction of integrated welfare buildings through cross-departmental collaboration, integrating diverse resources such as childcare, long-term care, health promotion, and social welfare to continuously improve local care service systems.

To actively expand public childcare and long-term care resources, Changhua County has established 52 long-term care sites, with 41 completed, 5 awarded and about to begin construction, and 6 currently under construction. Pioneering Taiwan's first 'multi-generational integration' welfare building model, 18 projects are underway, with facilities in Erlin, Fangyuan, Zhutang, Dacheng, Yuanlin, and Beidou already gradually opening. The county will continue to integrate central and local resources to perfect the welfare service network, creating a multi-generational, shared-care environment that reduces family caregiving burdens, enables younger generations to work and raise children with peace of mind, and allows seniors to age securely in place, collectively building a happy and livable Changhua.