Strengthening care and promoting role of elderly people in context of population ageing

Delegates attend the workshop.

This is the content of the topic “Caring for and promoting the role of the elderly in the context of population ageing in Bac Ninh province”.

Currently, the province has 243,322 elderly members; 198,189 of them are aged 60 and over (accounting for 14.2% of the population). In recent years, the work of caring for the elderly has been directed and implemented by the Party committees and authorities at all levels.

Up to now, the province has nearly 30,000 elderly people receiving monthly allowances according to the regulations of the Central Government. Over 55,000 elderly people receive monthly allowances according to the province’s specific regulations. Among them, who are from 70 to under 80 years old receive monthly social allowances from VND 200,000 to VND 250,000.

In particular, the elderly from 60 to under 80 years old are supported with 100% of the annual health insurance participation fee (applied from January 1, 2024). This marks Bac Ninh the first province in the country to achieve health insurance coverage for 100% of the elderly.

In addition, on holidays and Tet, delegations of the authorities at all levels visit, give gifts, and celebrate the longevity of the elderly. Self-help generation clubs, and cultural and artistic clubs are established. They organize health care and provide free medicine, thus contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of the elderly.

However, the work of caring for and promoting the role of the elderly still faces some difficulties.

According to statistics, the rate of elderly people in Vietnam (aged 60 and over) will account for 12% in 2021 and by 2050, this number will increase to more than 25%. For Bac Ninh province, the rate of elderly people in 2023 is more than 13%. The general trend of population ageing has made a profound impact on all aspects of individuals, families, communities and the whole society.

At the workshop, managers, experts, and representatives of the elderly discussed and assessed the current state of state management to the care and promotion of the role of the elderly in Bac Ninh in recent years; the work of caring for the physical and mental health of the elderly in Bac Ninh. They also proposed solutions to improve the effectiveness of care and promotion of the role of the elderly in the Bac Ninh province’s sustainable socio-economic development.