Joyful Aging-Embracing the Beauty of Life Together

There were often flies and insects in the house, and sometimes even rats. Without a fridge, food was left on the table and covered with newspapers. “If it’s covered, the rats won’t find it.” Ah-Ma says.

Thirty years ago, Ah-Ma came to Taiwan on her own to care for her husband when he fell ill. She spent all her savings on medical expenses. After he passed away, she has lived alone for the past 16 years. With support from social welfare programs, she manages to cover rent and basic living costs, but only by being very careful with her spending. Still, she worries about the future. “What if I get sick one day, like my husband? What will I do?”

Without a fridge, the market has become Ah-Ma’s storage space. She looks for food wherever she can find it. In winter, she collects more. In summer, she takes less, because food spoils quickly. Sometimes she finds items that shops can no longer sell but are still safe to eat. “As long as it hasn’t gone bad, it’s still fine,” she says. “Living alone, I try to save wherever I can.” At times, she eats vegetables raw. She says it’s because they are softer and easier to chew, but in truth, she is trying to save on gas.

Ah-Ma’s main worry is saving for the future. “If one day I can no longer move freely, I’ll need money,” she says. The social worker first helped connect her with meal support, so she could eat regularly and meet her basic nutritional needs. From there, they continued supporting her as she talked about her daily life and future plans. “I’ve never been cared for like this before,” Ah-Ma says.

(In many Chinese-speaking communities, Ah-Ma is a respectful term for an older woman, similar in tone to “Grandma,” but not necessarily a relative.)