According to statistics, there were more than 3.6 million people over the age of 65 in Taiwan in 2019, accounting for 15.28% of the total population, which means Taiwan will become a “super-aged society” by 2026. Eastern Group has long been involved in public welfare activities and provides care to the underprivileged. In view of the increasing demand for long-term care for senior citizens, Eastern Group fulfilled its corporate responsibility of “taking from society and giving back to society”, and held the “Eastern Shows Love, Provides Accessible Care” donation ceremony today (10th). President Gary Wang donated the thoughtful gift of two long-term care vehicles to the Taipei City Government to provide senior citizens with a more convenient transport option when traveling to and from hospitals and clinics. President Gary Wang said that Eastern will continue to provide care and assist the city government and the Department of Social Welfare in promoting long-term care services and create a new lifestyle for the elderly together.

The aging population in Taiwan is increasing rapidly, and care for the elderly population has become an important issue. Among the four major types of long-term care services, transportation and transfer services have become an indispensable aspect for senior citizens and caregivers. Many senior citizens are unable to drive or ride a scooter on their own, and it often becomes an inconvenience when traveling to and from medical institutions, whether they take a bus or are given a lift by family members, especially when there are schedule clashes. In order to care for the needs of the elderly population, by adhering to the concept of “others are about business, Eastern is about public welfare”, President Gary Wang called on all members to show their love. A portion of the TV shopping revenue was allocated for the purchase of long-term care vehicles with a market value of over NT$1 million. The vehicles were donated to the Department of Social Welfare, Taipei City Government. The long-term care vehicles are equipped with a lift and wheelchair straps, which not only make it physically easier when assisting the seniors, but also enhance the safety of the trips. These vehicles can effectively assist senior citizens with limited mobility to seek medical treatment and rehabilitation, participate in long-term care services, increase their willingness to go out, and lower the risk of dementia and disabilities. Mayor Ko Wen-Je said that aging is an inevitable process in life. He thanked Eastern for our enthusiastic participation in public welfare and caring for the elderly, and hoped that through the attention and assistance from all sectors, the aging population can still remain active and a high-quality comprehensive long-term care system can be established.

Gary Wang, president of Eastern Group, has not stopped offering his help and continues to support the government’s policy. The Group’s TV shopping platform was the first in the industry to launch “Eastern Farm”, a special project to support local small farmers, calling on members to show their care to small farmers and help them through these difficult times. Eastern Farm achieved the astonishing record of selling over 1,000 sets of agricultural and fishery products in just one day, which included pineapples, fourfinger threadfin, tiger grouper, and jade purse lychees, creating a diversified marketing trend for agricultural products. From Vice Premier Chen Chi-Mai, Legislators Chuang Jui-Hsiung and Chiu Yi-Ying, to regional leaders such as Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-Cher, Chiayi County Mayor Weng Chang-Liang, and Hualien County Mayor Hsu Chen-Wei, all these public figures have joined Eastern to promote the agricultural produce of their regions.

Eastern continues to show its love to care for small farmers and senior citizens, as well as disadvantaged children in remote rural areas, frontline healthcare workers, and other underprivileged and disadvantaged groups. Eastern Charity Foundation has donated NT$300,000 to both the Taiwan Catholic Foundation of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia and St. Camillus Center for Intellectual Disability. During the pandemic, Eastern Natural Beauty donated the medical-grade STREMARK skincare products valued at over NT$10 million as pandemic-prevention gifts to frontline healthcare workers and the new immigrant mothers of the Pearl S. Buck Foundation. Eastern Group will continue to call on all its members to send their love to every corner of the country through practical actions.