Aging Parents

You see some old people walk far before the light is green - I used to wonder what the hell they were doing though it’s apparent that many are leaving because they can’t make it all the way across the road during the green.

I witnessed a near accident the other day. An old lady who got impatient waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green, decided to run the red. She checked one side but failed to realize the traffic was two way. She got half way into the road and got a loud honk from a fast moving car coming from the opposite direction. She got so startled that she ran back to the sidewalk. For a second I was ready to call for an ambulance.

Thinking about this crossing the road within 30 seconds or less…
Well I’m also getting old and just wondering if I could learn to use a roller blade so that in future could use it to make it quick to cross the street.

1 Like

My son says: mom you will need to use your knee on roller blade you know and you busted your knee.

Me: is there alternative?
Son: yes the one with two wheel and you just stand and zoom you go :sweat_smile:

1 Like

Indeed, there is not enough time and one has to rush, elderly people are left stranded in the middle.

These are the same considerations for my Mom. I sued to be her designated driver, she is now used to Uber and bus - and transportation in the old country is a nightmare in the old country, like 2 hour commutes due to traffic jams and such, not distance.

I do not have a car here, I do not need it in Taipei. I could get her to use the MRT here, but she is terrified of escalators since she fell from one her first trip in the States. She doesn´t wear the same 5 inch stilettos but still she is very stubborn and does not like to acknowledge that her mobility is limited by her age.

But some buses here are very high, that would be a concern.

At least, I´d need to hire a sitter while I work and keep her company and watch out for her crossing the streets where she should n´t…a s she usually does. But yeah, now she goes to church and visits relatives.

I think moving here would be necessary when she is not able to move around and take care of herself. Medical care, especially for seniors, is much better here. We have Cardinal Tien in Xindian which has lots of services exclusively for seniors,.

Yes some buses are still having those 3 steps and for couple days been avoiding those buses and choosing the new one. Also true the medicare are much better here compare to our old country, also our transportation here are very convenient.

I’m glad your mom will be with you here so that you don’t have to worry much.

Oh I hope she will listen and come here but who knows if she will accept ever. She does not accept that she is old, least of all that she might need help. And by the time she drops, when she can´t do anything by herself, she may be too old to do the flight from there to here.

How will you pay for her medical bills?

Me? Out of my dear pocket. She would not be beneficiary to NHI, and anyways, she is already buying her own meds as our system uses Made in China useless or poisonous fakes. Medicines are still 10 times cheaper here in Taiwan, and more reliable.

1 Like

Does she not automatically go on NHI because she’s your mother??

Of course not. Even if I got citizenship, she would not get NHI. Not even residency.

If you are a foreigner, your kids are included. But nothing is automatic here.

I’m trying to wrap my head around that. A foreigners parents don’t qualify for NHI? Kids do, but parents don’t is that correct? And parents don’t go on the ARC? How do they stay long term then? Must they do visa runs?

Here, some previous discussions:

Basically yes, current options are them getting out every 3 months or investment visa/lessons.

Please remember the family visa is quite frail. For example, if you are a divorced parent on a visa here because your kids are Taiwanese, you will be kicked out when they hit 18.

My god I had no idea Taiwan was this behind in the game. A real shame.

1 Like

The list of grievances is long. As Latina I have horror stories people on this boards can´t believe, refuse to believe. But the pain is really bad.

Disgraceful. Shameful. Embarrassing. Useless. Corrupt. Racist. I can’t condemn this strongly enough

This is a young country that just emerged from a dictatorship. Give it time. It is going the right way. We point out things that can be improved to benefit not only us but Taiwan society overall and the country´s standing in the family of nations.

2 Likes

Can green card holders bring their parents to live in the US? I think Australia and Canada allow it but not sure about the US and EU.

I’m curious about this as well…

Come on Taiwan! Move your ass!

image