"Knock to Deliver Love": Changhua County Launches Comprehensive Home Visit Survey for Elderly Living Alone

To better understand the living conditions and service needs of elderly individuals living alone, the Changhua County Government held a press conference on the 6th at the Coffee Art Gallery on the 6th floor of the county hall, officially launching the "Knock to Deliver Love" home visit survey across the entire county.

Wang Lan-hsin, Director of the Social Affairs Department, stated that while there are currently 3,788 elderly individuals registered as living alone under the department's records—based on passive reporting—the county is now taking proactive action. Targeting more than 52,000 households where only one person is registered in the household registry, the county government is collaborating with 26 township and city offices, 10 social welfare organizations, and 129 community care and concern stations. A total of 720 caregivers will be deployed to conduct a comprehensive door-to-door survey over the next two years, aiming to identify isolated seniors and provide timely, warm support through active outreach. This initiative seeks to build a more robust community care safety net. "If we leave no one behind, there will be no regrets!"

Director Wang noted that as of the end of June, Changhua County's population aged 65 and above has reached 250,000, accounting for 20.84% of the total county population, officially entering a super-aged society. To gain a full understanding of elderly residents living alone and expand care services, the county is integrating efforts across local offices, communities, civil organizations, police, and civil affairs departments. The survey will proactively reach out to seniors aged 65 and above who live alone based on household registration data. The assessment covers living conditions, interactions with family and neighbors, and home safety. At-risk individuals will be identified and provided with tailored services—including home visits, phone check-ins, meal delivery, and emergency rescue—based on their risk level, thereby establishing a more comprehensive local care network.

Director Wang expressed gratitude to social welfare organizations and community care stations for their long-term dedication and active participation. She also specially thanked the Police Department and Civil Affairs Division for joining forces in anti-fraud awareness and survey efforts, highlighting strong inter-departmental collaboration. Each caregiver upholds the service philosophy of "proactive outreach, leaving no one behind," delivering government care through a simple knock on the door and a warm greeting, helping seniors feel supported and accompanied by society.

To prevent rising fraud incidents from undermining seniors’ willingness to accept visits, all survey personnel strictly adhere to the "Two Meets, Three Nots" guidelines: they will wear identification badges and present official documents upon arrival; they will not disclose personal information to anyone, request bank accounts, passbooks, or seals, or inquire about any information unrelated to the survey. Seniors can verify the legitimacy of visitors by calling the citizen service hotline 1999 or the dedicated survey lines at 7532345 and 7532360 if they have any doubts.

Lee Jin-shui, Chairman of the Board of the private Changhua County Ci-En Elderly Care Center, delivered a speech on behalf of participating organizations. He expressed gratitude to County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei and her team for their heartfelt commitment, stating that their proactive efforts to provide warmer services for the elderly and those living alone have helped make society feel less cold and indifferent.