Without a legal business license, the Guoguang Nursing Home (國光老人養護中心) in Xitun District of Taichung was ordered to stop operation on the morning of October 8, when the Social Affairs Bureau in conjunction with the Police Department, lawyers and other relevant units of Taichung City Government successfully relocated its 13 residents to other places, of whom 10 were temporarily housed at the Fu Shun Home of Love (輔順仁愛之家) with the consent of their families and the other 3were picked up by their own families and returned home immediately.

During the process, Mr. Hong, the owner of Guoguang Nursing Home, complained a lot and hopedto keep the elders but the Social Affairs Bureau insisted in a soft but sensible manner that all the residents must be relocated in accordance with the Senior Citizens Welfare Act. The solution won high praise from family members of the residents.

Wang Xiu-Yan (王秀燕), Director-general of Social Affairs Bureau, said that Guoguang Nursing Home was founded in 2000 and was owned and operated by Mr. Lin until July 2012, when Mr. Lin sold it to Mr. Hong, who failed to reapply a legal license for its operation.

According to the law, Guoguang Nursing Home can only admit 18 residents but it actually accepted 24 to 27 persons in 2012 and 2013. Its illegal acts were reported and fined NT$ 250,000 in 2012 and NT$180,000 in 2013. In addition, Guoguang Nursing Home was also fined NT$ 60,000 and NT$100,000 for failure to comply with security inspection for two times, said Director-general Wang.

In addition to operation without license, over admission of residents, failure to comply with public safety inspections for two times, and inadequate fire safety facilities, the Guoguang Nursing Home was also under-staffed. It is required by law to staff 6 nursing aides but Guoguang Nursing Home hired only 5 (3 foreign workers and 2local workers). 3 nurses should be arranged but Guoguang Nursing Home hired only 1 full-time nurse and 1 part-time nurse. To protect the interests of residents, the Social Affairs Bureau decided in September this year to revoke the business permit of Guoguang Nursing Home and ordered it to stop operation and submit the resettlement plan for its current residents.

Social Affairs Bureau had tried to communicate with the owner of Guoguang Nursing Home for several times but in vain. Therefore, on the morning of October 8, Liao Su-Ling (廖素玲), Deputy Director-general of Social Affairs Bureau, led 40 social workers, 3 staff from Labor Bureau, 2 doctors and 8 nurses and 7 ambulances from Health Bureau, and 17 police officers from 6th Precinct of Police Department to enforce the resettlement plan in accordance with the Senior Citizens Welfare Act. Each resident was accompanied by 2 social workers who were responsible for appeasing him/her and contacting his/her family. Each resident would be referred to other nursing homes later and he/she would be subsidized for the difference between the nursing home costs for six months. All the measures were conducted in a peaceful way and all the 13 residents were smoothly relocated.

Lin Yue-Zao (林月棗), Director-general of Legal Affairs Bureau said that it was because Guoguang operated illegally and refused safety inspections that Social Affairs Bureau had to take necessary actions to protect the residents. She added that if there are advance payment issues with Guoguang Nursing Home in the future, the Consumer Protection Officer will assist the residents in handling their cases.

Director-general Wang stressed that the city government will check every elderly welfare institution for its public security facilities every year without a fix schedule; all the nursing homes will be evaluated every three years; and workshops and seminars will be held for care aides and professionals. She also urged the public to carefully select nursing homes for their elders and read the contract carefully to protect their own interests.