Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long signed a decision approving the National Strategy for the Elderly until 2035, with a vision toward 2045, that aims to enhance employment opportunities, healthcare, social welfare, and community engagement for senior citizens as Vietnam faces an aging population.
Under Decision No. 383/QD-TTg, the strategy sets the target of at least 50% of the elderly who wish to work will have jobs. Some 100,000 senior citizens will receive vocational training and career support, and the same number of households with elderly members who wish to get loans will receive preferential loans for entrepreneurship and business development for 2025-2030.
At least 60% of local communes and wards will have cultural, artistic, and sports clubs for the elderly and at least 50% of local communities will have inter-generational self-help clubs or similar support models.
Access to health insurance will be made available for the elderly population as well. At least 90% will receive timely primary healthcare, periodic check-ups, and health monitoring and all the elderly who fall ill will receive medical care and family/community support.
The strategy also sets goals that at least 50% of hospitals, excluding pediatric and rehabilitation facilities, will arrange dedicated geriatric wards and 50% of provincial hospitals will have specialised geriatric departments.
At least 80% of the elderly facing financial hardship or illness will have access to healthcare services in various forms. Up to 70% of old individuals with disabilities will receive screening and rehabilitation support, and at least 10,000 elderly people in difficult circumstances without family caregivers will get appropriate care, rehabilitation and assistance at rehabilitation facilities and social assistance facilities.
The strategy targets that at least 50% of the elderly will have access to and use information technology and communication products.
By 2045, Vietnam aims to develop a comprehensive, modern, and sustainable elderly care system, ensuring social progress and justice.
To achieve these goals, the strategy outlines major tasks, including providing vocational education support, job generation, and livelihood and housing assistance for the elderly; developing a network of social assistance facilities that offer elderly care and rehabilitation services and promoting the role of elderly individuals in society. Other measures are supporting healthcare services and elderly health care; encouraging the elderly's participation in cultural, sports, and tourism activities; assisting the elderly in accessing and using information and communication technology; providing legal assistance for the elderly; preventing and mitigating the impact of diseases and natural disasters on the elderly and enhancing the capacity of civil servants, public employees, and volunteers working in elderly support services.
The strategy also sketches out solutions including building at least two elderly care and rehabilitation centres annually until 2030 and expanding social assistance model for the elderly -"happy village" between 2031 and 2035./.
