高齡化人口之急快速增加，係為全世界之社會事實，台灣65歲之老化人口超過10.28%，老人之醫療保健、社會福利、老人安春與休閒服務係為現代化國家之發展指標。愈文明及進步之國家愈重視老人之醫療保健與福利服務、老人安春、休閒服務與銀髮產業之發展。老人之醫療保健、福利政策與銀髮產業，應注意預防優先，治療次之，復健殿後。注意老人之急性治療，更需要注意慢性疾病之持續照顧與健康之維護。老人之醫療保健與社會福利、休閒服務與銀髮產業應該是全面性的與全民性的。老人的照顧可包括門診治療、住院醫護、康復照顧、家庭保健、居家護理、在宅服務、社區照護、護理療春及安寧服務等等之短期或長期照顧，而不必憂慮經濟財政負擔。要認識與肯定老人對社會之許多貢獻，老人是社會資產並非負債。老人保健、社會福利與休閒服務係為老人最基本之生存權力。本文第一部份將探討老人保健與健康之基本概念，第二部份將介紹美國與日本之老人保健制度，第三部份將討論銀髮產業之概念與發展趨勢。最後之結論將強調老人保健與銀髮產業在今日高齡化社會之重要性，並建議政府有關當局，專業社團、民間組織、意見領袖與立法機關，都要重視這個議題，研究如何面對人口老化與因應相關之社會經濟與醫療保健和銀髮產業課題。

The rapid increase of aging population is a social reality around the world. The people who reach the age of 65 years old and over have a ratio of 10.28% in Taiwan in April, 2008. The health care, social welfare, leisure service, and senior industry are the clear indices of modern nations. The civilized and advanced nations place much emphasis on health care, welfare programs, leisure services, and senior industry for their senior citizens. The principles of health care, welfare services, and senior industry for the elderly should apply prevention first, treatment next, and rehabilitation last. The attention of senior care should be given to the acute illness and more efforts to the continuing care of the chronic conditions. The health care and social services for the elderly should be comprehensive and inclusive in nature. The elderly care may include clinical service, family health, hospital and convalescent service, day care, home care, nursing care, community care, residential care, and hospice care geared to the individual needs without the fear of financial burden. The various contributions made by elderly to society should be affirmed and recognized. The elderly care, social welfare, leisure services, and senior industry are basic rights of survival for the elderly. The health care for the elderly must include the optimal physical, mental, and social health functioning as defined by the World Health Organization. The elderly care is to maintain the healthy living, pleasant life, and to develop their potential to the maximum in order to share their valuable experiences and wisdom with the next generation. The policy-making of health care, social welfare and leisure services for the elderly must include the participation of elderly representatives. The governmental officers and providers of professional services should recognize the importance of consumer participation in all phases of health care, welfare programs, and leisure services. The best policy of health care, welfare programs, and leisure services for the elderly is to engage in prevention of illness, maintenance of health, promotion of daily living functions, and compression of morbidity. The first part of this paper is to discuss the concepts of elderly care, leisure services, and senior industry in the modem world. The second part of the paper is to discuss the health care systems for elderly in the United States and Japan. The Medicare and Medicaid Programs are introduced and discussed in relation to the elderly care in Taiwan. The third part of the paper is to discuss the new development of senior industry in regard to elderly care and leisure services in Taiwan. The paper is concluded with the importance of elderly care, welfare programs, leisure services, and senior industry as well as education of professional people power to cope with the growing population of senior citizens in Taiwan. The international exchanges and cooperation of professional groups related to elderly care and senior industry are highly recommended.