隨著世界日益老化，1980年時，65歲及以上的老年人口佔全球總人口數的百 分之5.9，並在2010年老年人口將增加至百分之7.6 (世界衛生組織，2009)。台 灣的老年人口數人口亦迅速增加。目前，老年人口佔總人口的百分之10.65% (內 政部，2009a)。政府預估超過65歲老年人口於2020年時將佔總人口的百分之 14.8，至2050年，超過65歲的人口數佔總人口數的百分之37 (行政院經建會， 2008年）。越來越多的老年人口所引伸的問題，成爲政府、非營利性福利機構和 家庭成員的所關注的重點。
英國在社區照顧有著悠久的歷史與豐富的經驗。台灣的社區照顧政策與執行 受到香港經驗的影響，而香港社區照顧發展則受到英國殖民政治的影響。本文首 先檢視台灣、英國、香港的社區照顧政策與老人福利服務。同時，本文也探討政 府和家庭照顧老人的責任。西方社會裡社區照顧的重要關鍵是家庭責任的執行。 然而在台灣和香港的社會中，引入社區照顧服務之前，照顧長者的家庭責任早已 存在。
台灣於2009年開始實施長期照顧計畫，現有的社區照顧服務難以滿足多數人 的需求，服務品質亦參差不齊。因此，本文最後建議可運用英國發展的評估模式 和整合工作取向，台灣宜積極建立管理與監督機制以確保社區照顧服務的品質。

The population aged 65 years and over in the world was 5.9 percent in 1980 and will increase to 7.6 percents in 2010 (World Health Organization, 2009). The population of older people in Taiwan is increasing rapidly as well. Currently the elderly population account for 10.65% of the total population in Taiwan (Ministry of the Interior in Taiwan, 2009a). The government estimates the number of older people aged over 65 will be 3.54 million, 14.8 percent of the population, by 2020; by 2050, 37 percent of the population will be over 65 years of age in Taiwan (Council for Economic Planning & Development of Executive Yuan in Taiwan, 2008). The increasing number of older people worldwide causes new problems which will become a focal point for the public sector, non-profit welfare agencies and family members.
The UK has a long history and much experience in community care. Community care policy and its implementation in Taiwan mirrored that first developed in Hong Kong, but was also influenced by the community care reforms in UK. Firstly, this study reviews community care policy for older people and its implementation in Taiwan, the UK, and Hong Kong. This study will then also discusses the responsibilites of government and families for taking care of older people. In Western societies, an important element in community care is to enforce the family’s responsibilities. In Taiwanese and Hong Kong societies, however, family responsibility for caring for elderly family members existed prior to the introduction of community care services.
Finally, the Taiwanese government began to implement the long-term care system in 2009. The current community care policies and services do not satisfy people in need. This study suggests it could be the adequacy of adopting the assessment models and addressing the integrated working approach which had been applied by UK. A certain level of management and supervision should be established by Taiwanese government to ensure qualified community care services for people.