While the government emphasizes long-term care, there is a period of about 7 to 8 years before entering long-term care where individuals still have autonomous capabilities. According to a 2018 survey by Schroders Investment, Taiwan's retirement readiness index is relatively low, leading to a sudden shift in lifestyle focus. Without proper planning, retirees may face a leisurely yet monotonous pace, resulting in a lack of anticipation and imagination for life, and an inability to experience the sense of achievement from their younger working years.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's 2015 statistics also revealed that among leisure activities for this demographic, "watching TV" accounted for nearly 80%, and feelings of loneliness and depression were the highest in the country across age groups. According to a 2019 research study, when it comes to retirement career planning, "wanting to travel" occupies 42.8%, followed by "engaging in leisure activities" at 38.3%. The next most desired activity is "participating in courses," indicating that travel is an ideal choice for innovative retirement lifestyles.
In an interview with "Womany ," travel is defined as "leaving home, going to a specific place, living alone for a period, not just wandering around." Therefore, the concept of a Long Stay aims to provide a different and meaningful retired life by allowing individuals to experience a unique lifestyle during their retirement.
This project has advanced to the finals of the STARUP TERRACE Trans Action Award.
A meaningful Long Stay travel platform for the retired community.
With the initial idea of "No long-term care, but staying active" and the core philosophy of "Experience a different life," we offer experiential travel and skill-oriented long-term travel projects. Immerse yourself in local life, experience the culture firsthand, and make each journey meaningful.
Through in-depth interviews with community leaders, retired professors, and others, we discovered that retirees, in addition to taking courses, regularly participate in activities such as travel, volunteering, and community projects. This reaffirms the insights gained from our initial needs assessment.
To gain a more detailed understanding of potential users, the team conducted interviews with 10 individuals nearing retirement age to gather their perspectives on future plans. Despite differences in socio-economic status and personality, they shared a common trait: a desire for in-depth travel experiences that go beyond surface-level exploration, allowing them to immerse themselves in local cultures and embrace a slower-paced lifestyle after retirement.
