Free lunch program lets elderly make new friends / 社區推老人共餐活動 鼓勵長者走出住家　　　　　　　　　　

In Taipei's Neihu District, there's a Baishihu Suspension Bridge, it is located in a beautiful mountain area with natural habitat, therefore, some people call it the backyard of Taipei. In order to prepare the community for the aging demographic, the Baishihu Community Development Association hosts free lunch for the elderly two times a week. A 92 year old man named Lin Tien Song, often comes to lunch with some fresh produce from his farm, and share them with everybody. Let's take a look! Behind this table full of freshly made home-cooked meal, is the newly appointed Director of Baishihu Community Development Association, Lin Mei-hsueh. Her first job after she took office, is to manage the food sharing program for the elderly in this community. ==LIN MEI-HSUEH, Director of Baishihu Community Development Association== I take care of the elderly here as if I'm taking care of my own parents. I use the healthiest ingredients to cook for them, so that the ones who are single or doesn't live with their children will still have something healthy to eat. For the elderly who benefit from the scheme, it's more than just a warm home cooked meal. It also gives them a chance to meet the neighbors and make new friends. As for the ones who can't prepare food for themselves, this is where they can receive a balanced diet. ==CHIA TZU-WEN, Dietitian at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital== Protein is essential for elderly, because it will help them to prevent muscle loss. Therefore, I usually remind the director and the people who come here for the food, to eat more food that contains protein. However, if they have kidney problems, they still have to watch the protein intake closely. Since rural communities struggle to provide resources, dietitian comes every once in a while to check on them and provide professional advices. Take a look at today's meal, the eggplant and pumpkin were provided by neighbor Mr. Jian. And this stirred fried water spinach, came from the farm of this 92-year-old local resident Lin Tien Sung. ==LIN TIEN-SUNG, Baishihu Resident== I usually eat what I grow, and if there are any left sometimes I'll sell them. As you can see, his farm is right underneath the Baishihu Suspension Bridge. A few years ago, when the government planned to integrated community development, he didn't even hesitate and allowed bridge construction through his land. ==LIN TIEN-SUNG, Baishihu Resident== The government built the bridge, and it crossed over our land. I just decided to let him build it unconditionally. Wanted to see if the community will come alive. (Did it?) Yes, more visitors are here now. Even though the construction might decrease the land value, he only hopes that in doing so, it will create more business opportunities for the next generation. Ever since the bridge was built, the numbers of visitors to Baishihu community have increased dramatically. ==LIN'S SON, Baishihu Resident== More visitors has caused us inconvenience. To be honest, you don't even know, some people would throw the used diapers over the bridge, some even throw their water bottles and umbrellas down. The construction of the Baishihu bridge, allowed more people to know of this beautiful place. Meanwhile, as the community becomes more prosperous, local residents hope that for the same measures as they give for the community, some good will also be given back to them. REPORTER：STELLA TU 除了飯後水果，一整桌的好菜，全部都是由"她"一手包辦，這位是林美雪，是白石湖社區發展協會新上任的理事長，而接任的第一項任務，就是張羅每週兩次的老人供餐活動。 ==白石湖社區協會理事長 林美雪== 我現在照顧長者 是用照顧我的父母的心情 照顧這裡的長者 我每餐煮的都是用最健康的食材 給這裡的伯父伯母吃 讓他們不至於說 單親或者是小孩沒有在家裡面 就隨便吃 吃到失去了健康 一大早就去市場買菜，從洗菜到煮菜全都一手包辦，一整桌的佳餚,都是林美雪滿滿的愛心，這幾年因為社區人口老化，當地推出共餐活動，提供營養均衡的餐點，鼓勵長者走出住家。 ==新光吳火獅紀念醫院營養師 夏子雯== 其實老人家最主要的是蛋白質要多 因為蛋白質多的話 其實可以預防一些肌肉減少症 所以平常在餐點的部分 我都會特別提醒理事長 還有共餐的老人家們 會希望他們平常蛋白質可以多吃點 可是一定要提醒一下 就是如果腎臟功能沒有那麼好 蛋白質是要稍為限制攝取量的 因為這裡的資源，不像市區那麼方便，營養師還會不定期前來，提供專業的建議。桌上的南瓜和茄子，是居民簡先生家裡種的，特地帶來和大家分享。而這道炒空心菜，則是這位高齡92歲的林天送，早上五點多從自家菜園採來的。 ==白石湖居民 林天送== 種菜我都自己吃啦 有多出來的 我也會賣一些 他的菜園說遠不遠，其實就在白石湖吊橋底下，當初政府為了興建吊橋，牽涉許多土地，最大宗的就是林天送的地，當時他全力支持地方建設，無償提供土地，讓吊橋跨越農田上方。 ==白石湖居民 林天送== 橋是政府建的沒錯 建造時跨過我們的地 就讓它利用而已 我就無條件給政府建 就是看會不會熱鬧一些 才讓它造 看這邊有沒有比較發展 (結果有沒有比較好) 有啦 比較多人來玩 不在意土地價值減損，是期望能讓人煙罕至的白石湖，多一點發展機會，不過隨著吊橋的興建，同時也帶來大量遊客。 ==白石湖居民 林天送兒子== 人潮變多還帶來不方便 因為 我說實在 你不知道那麼誇張 現在有人家帶小孩 有沒有 換尿布 直接尿布給我扔到橋下 寶特瓶 雨傘什麼都掉下去 白石湖吊橋的興建，是整個社區的轉捩點，當地居民小小的願望，就是希望在社區發展的同時，透過自己無償的付出，未來也能得到相對的回饋。 記者 涂恩晨 陳彥霖 採訪報導