A group of young people in Keelung have opened a bookstore selling books on long-term healthcare, and are offering free consultation sessions to people caring for elderly family members at home.
People who visit Diam Diam Books (書店惦惦) during public holidays can talk to consultants and enjoy a luncheon with coffee to “take a breather,” the group said.
Lee Erh-chiao (李爾喬), chairwoman of a local long-term healthcare association in the city’s Nuannuan District (暖暖), started the group last year, and said that it aims to provide much-needed rest and advice to those who care for elderly people.
Lee, who is also a physician, said she has seen many elderly people become bedridden due to injuries from falling, adding that such injuries also affect the mental state of the patients.
Seeing elderly people’s lives being negatively affected by such common injuries inspired her to bring young people on board to help senior citizens, she said.
The group last year began restoring an abandoned port authority police barracks, Lee said, adding that they aim to turn the barracks into a “warm space” for elderly people to share with young people and healthcare professionals.
“What kind of life would you like to have when you get old?” Lee asked.
She said the scope of the question is greater than it first appears, considering physiological changes, such as chronic illnesses and dependency on medication, and the effects of home and community environment.
Lee said she feels fortunate that caregivers and elderly people in the community give of their time to share their knowledge and experience at the sessions.
Healthcare professionals specializing in nutrition, holistic medicine and herbal medicine have held classes, she said.
A man surnamed Lin (林), who cares for his elderly mother at home, said the sessions have helped raise his spirits and put him in touch with other caregivers in the community.
Bookstore manager Chen Hsing-han (陳星翰) said the store also sells books on gender issues and community building.
[Taipei Times, 2018-05-22]
