FUNDAY 數位英語達人誌 1月號/2019 第6期

〈自有清風送晚晴：當我們越老越快樂〉

坐落於嘉義，全台灣第一家大齡食堂中，幾個忙碌的婆婆阿姨們正忙著在廚房出餐，他們有的髮絲皆已銀白，步伐小心緩慢，記憶力更是不復以往，即使已經活到高齡七、八十，這些認真可愛的長者們還是想趁著自己還有體力，來到食堂幹活煮菜，好以排遣孤獨或是做為身體復健，或許更重要的是想找回被社會與他人肯定的價值。

積極與人群互動與接觸的長者，有機會活出獨特且動人的餘生，也為少子化嚴重的社會景況帶來不可小覷的勞動力。日前內政部公告全國65歲以上老年人口占總人口比率達到14.05%，台灣正式邁入「高齡社會」，相較於亞洲國家，台灣老年人口比率僅次日本，與南韓相當，而台灣成為超高齡社會只需要再8年的時間。

面臨人口老化加諸社會如老人安養、勞動力銳減的嚴峻挑戰，政府目前推行「長期照顧十年計畫2.0」，期望建構優質、平價、普及的長照服務體系，讓所有需要受長期照顧者，都可獲得具有人性尊嚴的服務；而勞動部也逐步推動「中高齡者及高齡者就業法」，希望提升中高齡人口就業狀況，試圖補足勞動力缺口。

老化雖是自然界不滅定律，然而現今人們受到社會與文化的標籤與印象荼毒，以致於集體心態與觀念，反而避老唯恐不及，不計代價地奮力抵抗。年僅30歲的愛迪樂創辦人鍾孟修看待老化這件事，顯得一派自然輕鬆，他認為增長的數字不代表任何負面意義，年老和年輕其實沒有差異，他更想提醒長者，生活中不要侷限於身體的退化，想做的事、想去的地方，只要願意，總會有辦法解決或抵達。

英國政府認為不以體能表現與年紀來定義長者，也不再視高齡者為一廣泛群體，而是有各自需求和特質的一群人，可能會是健康的、亞健康的、失能者或是失智者，最重要的是，無論這群人處在什麼狀態，不再看老化而是專注於好好活著。

老化是溫柔而緩慢的生命演進，不可預期的挑戰與冒險，總會為過程帶來成長的收穫，人們有可能因著年齡增長而變得愈加有趣、睿智，或者就像大齡食堂中的長者們親身展示的正面心態：「老年生活的每一天，原來也能活出全新的自我！」

Finding Comfort in the Twilight of Life: Growing Older and Happier

Located in Chiayi, in Taiwan’s first dining hall exclusively for seniors, several gray-haired grandmotherly ladies are busy serving food. Even at seventy to eighty years of age, these lovely elders still want to work at the cafeteria while they still have the physical strength. For them, it’s a nice diversion from lonely days and a way of physical rehabilitation. Perhaps more importantly, they’re getting the affirmation they deserve, feeling valued by society and peers.

Elders who actively interact with others tend to lead more unique, enriched lives as they enter their twilight years. These elders also show that they can be a powerful workforce to the nation while the local birthrate is low. Recently, the Ministry of the Interior announced that the proportion of the elderly population over the age of 65 in the country has already reached 14.05%. Taiwan has officially become an “aged society.” Compared with other Asian countries, Taiwan’s elderly population ratio is second to Japan’s and about the same as South Korea’s. In another eight years, Taiwan will become “a super-aged society.”

Faced with the severe challenges of an aging population, such as long-term care and the sharp decline in the workforce, the government is currently implementing “The 10 Year Long-term Care Plan 2.0,” hoping to build a quality, affordable and universal long-term care system. The goal is for all to be able to obtain quality services while living with dignity in their later years. The Ministry of Labor will also gradually promote an employment law for the middle-aged and seniors, hoping to address the impending labor gap.

Although aging is nature’s law, elderly people are often pigeonholed by labels and stereotypes placed on them by society and culture, to such an extent that some people would do anything they can to avoid aging. The founder of ADLers, 30-year-old Chung Meng-Hsiu, believes that the aging process is natural and shouldn’t been taken too seriously. He believes that aging shouldn’t carry any negative baggage and that there is no significant difference between being old and being young. He reminds the elderly not to be confined and left to deteriorate physically or mentally. If they want to continue their journey in life travelling and exploring the world, there is always a way to get them to their destination.

The British government believes that the elderly are not defined by age and by physical health, and the elderly are no longer seen as one demographic but as groups of people with diverse needs and traits. Elders are categorized as healthy, borderline-healthy, disabled or senile. The most important thing is that no matter what category they’re in, society no longer regards age as the only factor in senior care and instead focuses on ensuring their quality of life.

Aging is a gentle and slowly evolving process of life. Unpredictable challenges and risks can always bring about growth. People often become more diverse and wise in their thinking, and are like the elders in the seniors’ dining hall who maintain a positive attitude towards life. “Each and every day of my later years, I can become a newer version of myself!”

作者簡介：

一本適合成人英語學習的雜誌，也是一把協助讀者打開世界視野的鑰匙，最具特色之處為雜誌收錄每篇文章，讀者皆可使用手機裝置，同步聆聽專業教師中英文講解說明，輕鬆便利地增進英語能力。

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