00:06A group of senior citizens browses this Taipei Mall, guided by uniformed volunteers.
00:11All around are decorations and wishes for a prosperous Lunar New Year,
00:15reminders that the biggest holiday on Taiwan's calendar is just ahead.
00:19Today, these seniors are going on a New Year's scavenger hunt.
00:23It's a chance to get out of the house and soak in the holiday atmosphere.
00:27And for those who spend the holiday alone, this is a highlight of the festive season.
00:35This annual shopping excursion is now in its seventh year.
00:39The Hongdao Senior Citizens Welfare Foundation invites seniors from its activity centers to take part,
00:45and an electronics firm covers the costs and invites its employees to help out.
00:50As one regular volunteer explains, it's much more than just a shopping trip.
00:54It's a chance to build community.
00:57I think that people and people,
00:59this kind of life that affects our lives,
01:03when we move to each other,
01:07it's not a short time for shopping.
01:14At the sign of Go, the search begins for a list of items with strong holiday associations.
01:20There are mandarin oranges, a popular New Year fruit.
01:23There are New Year cakes of various types,
01:25and the red envelopes people filled with cash and give to one another at this time of year.
01:31Volunteers also encourage the seniors to pick out some of their favorite New Year snacks to take home with them.
01:43There's also a social aspect to the event.
01:47The volunteers have prepared special New Year decorations for participants to hand out to other shoppers or workers in the
01:53store,
01:54spread good wishes for the year ahead.
01:56Not everyone in this group can speak, and a few are living with dementia,
02:00but volunteers help to get the message across.
02:03We can give them a happy gift.
02:10They were very happy,
02:12but after that,
02:15they got a very good return.
02:19It's a happy and happy feeling.
02:33For around an hour, the supermarket becomes a lively place, filled with the hunt for the
02:38best New Year treats and exchanges of warm New Year greetings.
02:42Then it's off to a group meal with the volunteers at a restaurant.
02:46Another chance for people who may live alone and rarely get out to feel part of something.
02:52Today's outing is just one example of something broader happening in Taiwanese society.
02:57Last year, for the first time, one in five people in Taiwan were 65 or older, making Taiwan
03:03a so-called super-aged society.
03:06And the Interior Ministry says that more than a quarter of people in this oldest demographic
03:10are living alone.
03:12The holidays can be a tough time.
03:14And a growing number of corporations are stepping in to help NGOs make them special.
03:19The business person funding today's event, from the shopping to the group lunch, frames
03:24it as an ethical thing to do.
03:25And for him, working with this NGO has a special personal meaning.
03:29So, from CSR's perspective, we hope that some of the people of the community have
03:37support and cooperation.
03:41This is from the company's perspective.
03:43And the other thing is, we've been working with them for quite a long time.
03:48My father, my father has been in the past, but he has been in the past seven or eight years.
03:57But there's far more to this trend of enriching senior citizens' lives around the new year
04:01than shopping expeditions.
04:03We've all got 5 things.
04:05We have a five-year-old management service.
04:05First, we have a half-year-old payment.
04:07Then we have a half-year-old management service.
04:13And there are many different companies, they are in the past seven years.
04:20The last year the year after the year, they will actively participate in the financial service.
04:31But back to today's event, has it been a success?
04:35I just got a lot of fun.
04:37I'm happy to eat food.
04:39I'm happy.
04:41I'm good.
04:44I'm good.
04:45They're very good.
04:47They're very happy.
04:50I'm so happy to be here.
05:14As lunch wraps up and final gifts are exchanged,
05:18there's the knowledge that those who need company or community this holiday season
05:22still have pleasure to be here.
05:24Some are inviting volunteers into their homes,
05:27and others are going to share another holiday meal cooked by some of the seniors themselves.
05:32Taiwan society may be aging, with many people living apart,
05:36but private initiatives are making sure people can grow older with grace and dignity.
05:41And living apart need not mean isolation, especially at Taiwan's most cheerful time of year.
05:49Luffy Lee and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.
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