By KHT Staff. AI illustration image.
CHIAYI — Nearly one in four Chiayi County (嘉義縣) residents is 65 or older, making dementia care a growing public health priority, the county government said.
The Chiayi County Public Health Bureau (嘉義縣衛生局) said residents aged 65 and older account for 24.39 percent of the county’s population. It also said the county reached a dementia diagnosis rate of 90.57 percent in 2025, meaning most residents estimated to have dementia had been identified and connected with medical or community support services.
The bureau said Chiayi County had an estimated 10,137 residents with dementia in 2025, of whom 9,181 had been diagnosed, giving the county a diagnosis rate of 90.57 percent.
The county’s dementia care network includes 30 community service centers, 28 day-care centers, 97 community health service sites, three care coordination centers, one designated care center, and one group home. Services are offered across townships, including Minxiong (民雄), Liujiao (六腳), Lucao (鹿草), Yizhu (義竹), Xikou (溪口), and Fanlu (番路).
Health Bureau Director Chao Wen-hua (趙紋華) said the county uses an integrated care system involving public health, civil affairs, social welfare, and education agencies. The Chiayi County Long-term Care Center (嘉義縣長期照顧管理中心) handles care assessments and referrals.
The bureau said 8,395 people and 512 organizations are part of a volunteer support network. Participants, including postal workers, police officers, and community taxi drivers in Xikou Township, are trained to follow a four-step response for suspected dementia cases: observe, ask, stay, and call.
Thirty junior and senior high schools have also added dementia education to their curricula, the bureau said. The bureau said it has also produced dementia education materials, including a Taiwanese-language animated video, a picture book, and a podcast on 10 warning signs of cognitive decline.
