Conscripts spend alternative service accompanying lonely seniors

Conscripts spend alternative service accompanying lonely seniors

2025-02-05

Last year, the Taoyuan Department of Civil Affairs launched a public welfare program for alternative military service. A year later, it has shown astounding results! This cohort of conscripts regularly visit seniors who live alone to chat with them and help with chores. More than just keeping them company, they show their love through the military service.

Although she lives alone, Grandma Chen chats and laughs on her sofa with her visitors. Apart from just talking, they also have some other heartwarming interactions.

These alternative service members were brought here by the Taoyuan Department of Civil Affairs. Last year, the department started a social welfare ambassador program for conscripts. Through long-term and regular visits, they provide seniors living alone with practical and emotional support.

Liu Che-lun
Alternative service member
This is a life experience I’ve rarely had from my childhood up until now. So I think that this year for me has been nurturing. Maybe later I’ll find the time to come back to visit these old folks.

Hsieh Chang-chi
Alternative service member
I found that even in the city where I live, there are lots of people who need our care and more of our attention. Whether they’re seniors who live alone or children with special needs, they all need our company.

Grandma Chen who they’re visiting today is 69 years old. She’s lived alone since the death of her adoptive father and has stage 4 lung cancer. This group of young conscripts come to chat with her every month. Their visits make her feel cared for and less lonely.

Grandma Chen
Senior
I’m so happy every time they come. Otherwise, I’d be all alone. We talk about our lives. They can’t bring their girlfriends, right? We can’t see them even if we wanted to.

Lan Pin-chun
Taoyuan Department of Civil Affairs
We hope this can serve as a model. This year, we might expand to 11 or 12 other districts. We hope that conscripts from more areas can join in caring for our community and seniors in need.

More than material needs, it’s company that seniors who live alone require the most. By joining the city’s public welfare program, conscripts can spread the love to those who most need it.

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桃園民政局推動替代役公益大使暖心陪伴獨居長輩

2025-02-05

桃園市民政局，去年開始推動”替代役公益大使計畫”經過1年試辦，成效斐然！這群替代役們，除了會定期到獨居老人家中訪視，和他們聊天、還會提供生活上的協助，不僅讓長輩們，不再感到孤單，透過這樣的公益計畫，替代役們也會將這份溫暖和愛，繼續傳遞下去。

獨居的陳奶奶，坐在沙發上有說有笑，不只聊天，還和陳奶奶有許多貼心有趣的互動。

這回替代役來到這，是因為桃園市民政局，去年開始推動”替代役公益大使計畫”，透過長期、穩定訪視，提供獨老生活協助、情感支持。

[[替代役男劉哲綸]]
“這個是我從以前到現在，比較少有的生活歷練，所以我覺得這一年對我來說是，相當多的養分，有時間可能還是會，抽個時間回來看看奶奶呀，這些爺爺們”

[[替代役男謝常祺]]
“發現原來在我們自己居住的城市這邊，也有很多需要關懷，需要我們多加照顧的，不管是獨居老人還是特殊的小朋友，其實都很需要我們的陪伴”

這一趟他們來關照的陳奶奶已經69歲，從養父病逝後獨居，罹患肺腺癌第四期，現在這群年輕的替代役男，每個月都會來找她談天說地，讓她感覺心裡暖暖的，也不再孤單。

[[獨居長輩陳奶奶]]
“因為你們來我真的很開心，不然只有我自己一個人。閒話家常啊，不可能他帶女朋友來嘛，對不對，我們想看也沒得看啊”

[[桃園市民政局副局長藍品畯]]
“那我們希望這個可以做一個樣板，那在今年我們可以拓展到，其他11個區、12個區，希望更多區的役男一起共同來參與，共同來關懷我們社會，更需要關懷的一些長輩”

其實比起物質需求，獨居老人們更需要的是陪伴，替代役們投入公益計畫，散播溫暖外，也讓愛傳遞下去。

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