This study focuses on the filial responsibility from the viewpoint of the middle-aged household living apart from their parents. Furthermore, we examined the exchage conditions of the middle-aged household with the local community as well as their consciousness on the life support for elderly residents, while aiming to obtain the basis to improve the living environment of the coming aged society in Taiwan. The main results are as follows : (1) Where both parents are in fine health, they tend to live apart from their adult children. Where a parent is in fine health, the ratio of those living independently and those living with their adult children is similar. It may be safely said that elderly parents today tend to live independent from their children. (2) With respect to the consciousness of parent-caretaking, the Confucianism culture of Taiwan seems to influence the middle-age children in taking care of their aged parents. (3) As to the future dwelling style, the number of the middle-aged parents intending to depend on their children is decreasing, i.e., there appears an increasing trend to live independent from their children. As the birth rate tends to decrease remarkably, it is urgently needed to deal with the care problem of the elderly from the standpoint of the society as a whole for the benefit of the next generation of senior citizens. (4) With the aim of creating conditions for the independence of the elderly in the future and promoting their active participation in the society, it becomes strongly important to support exchange activities involving different generatios.
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