In 2007, the population of people with disabilities in Taiwan is expected to exceed one million people . According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of the Interior in 2006, there were 969,249 people who have physical or mental disabilities registered with the department, which represents 4.24% of the general population. The number of people with disabilities is still rising due to aging. One in four persons with disabilities wants to work; however, the employment rate in this population is less than 50% and the unemployment rate is triple (14.70%) than that of the general population (4.99%).
Therefore, United Way of Taiwan will work closely with its partner organizations to provide pre-employment preparation for individuals including employment assessments, career planning, consultations and trainings, as well as assistance in directing job seekers toward different services such as sheltered workshops, supported employment services or toward competitive employment environment. We also believe that professional psychological support, independent living skills trainings, community inclusion and labor rights consultations also play an important role in the employment system. United Way of Taiwan will support comprehensive services for people with disabilities on this issue.
One in seven families in Taiwan is affected by poverty, health and marriage crisis. Due to poverty, the number of people who struggle with their finance and who are diagnosed with depression or other psychiatric disorders is increasing. Society has been shocked by tragedies like family suicide, children maltreatment and family violence. Studies across nations show that unemployment, a troubled marriage and health problems are factors that, when combined or interacting together, can cause poverty. Since unemployment is the main factor that causes poverty, single-parent families ( due to divorce or to the loss of a spouse) and families with a member affected by disability or with a member needing special care might also struggle with a low income and have to carry the burden of huge medical expenses. Today, these families not only face the threat of poverty but also need assistance in restoring the basic functions of family as a unit .
United Way of Taiwan will work with its partners on three dimensions to resolve the issue.
First, from the dimension of family economics, we are working on (1) assisting family members in maintaining their current jobs and providing unemployment-related allowance or services during job transition ; (2) providing professional health care assistance and skill trainings for families in need.
Second, from the dimension of family health, we are considering (1) developing support groups for families to share their stories and create opportunities for them to build up their own psychological and social support networks ; (2) assisting families in obtaining necessary services that can satisfy different needs and improve their quality of life; (3) providing psychological or social support and other services to families with marriage problems in order to re-build self-confidence and bring back trust in the relationship.
Last, we also try to (1) help immigrants in interethnic marriages to adapt to the local Taiwanese culture and better integrate in society by introducing different cultural and language courses ; (2) provide psychological and academic support to children in disadvantaged families to prevent deviant behaviors from the dimension of healthy marriage.
¡§Family caregivers ¡¨ may be unknown to lots of people; however, they live around you and me. They might be a son or a daughter taking care of a parent who is paralytic or diagnosed with dementia; they might be a parent taking care of a child with intellectual disability or diagnosed with psychiatric disorders; they might also be a spouse taking care of a disabled loved one. A family caregiver is defined as a person , no matter what gender and age, who takes care of their disabled loved ones for a long period of time. Family caregivers do not work for a salary, nor do they get any vacations, for they only devote themselves to taking good care of their family members, often at the expense of their own health . Their own needs and emotions are usually forgotten by others. Family caregivers thus need external assistance and services to relieve their stress and release their emotions.
United Way of Taiwan will work with its partner organizations to pursue a better long-term care system for dependent family members, build up a support system for family caregivers including respite services and establish a reliable long-term care finance system.
IV. Cancer patients and survivors
According to statistics , one in four people is diagnosed with cancer and there is one person who dies from cancer every 17 minutes. Treatments for cancers like medicine, surgery, chemotherapy and nutrition are based on the medical model for physical cure; nevertheless, it has been found that therapeutic group support can provide psychological support for patients and their families.
United Way of Taiwan will continue to work with its partner organizations to provide counseling, organize support groups for patients and grief therapy groups, as well as establish daytime care services to help patients and their families physically and emotionally
