Proposal to open a day care facility for the elderly at a cultural house

This proposal is included in the draft Decree guiding the implementation of the Population Law, which is being consulted by the Ministry of Health and is expected to be submitted to the Government for promulgation before April 30.

According to the draft, home care for the elderly will focus on equipping knowledge and skills for disease prevention, early detection and self-care of common diseases. Elderly people and their families are supported in daily activities, and receive advice on improving their physical health, spiritual life and maintaining social connections.

In addition, the elderly are also guided about relevant benefits and policies, as well as access to medical examination and treatment services according to regulations. Care activities are not only undertaken by the family but also involve the participation of community care forces such as grassroots health workers, population collaborators and volunteers.

In parallel, the Ministry of Health proposes to develop community-based care models, including elderly clubs and day care points. These points can be located at cultural houses, village sports areas, residential groups or other suitable locations decided by the commune-level government.

This model does not create new organizations or staff but makes the most of existing resources, according to the Ministry of Health. Participating human resources include three main groups: volunteers, grassroots medical staff and medical practitioners, with requirements to be trained according to regulations.

In addition, the elderly club in the community will organize many activities such as health consultation, cultural and artistic activities, entertainment, and early disease detection. The club creates conditions for the elderly to promote their role in family and society.

Regarding financial mechanisms, the draft proposes that the State support medical examination and treatment costs for elderly people who are lonely, seriously ill, and cannot go to medical facilities. In other cases where there is a need for care to maintain health and social function, the costs will be paid by the individual.

Funding for community models such as day care centers or clubs is arranged from the state budget combined with other legally mobilized sources. Local authorities decide the specific level of support depending on actual conditions.

The draft encourages the participation of organizations, businesses and individuals to diversify elderly care resources.

The elderly care plan was developed in the context that Vietnam is currently one of the countries with the fastest aging population in Asia. Data show that in 2011 the elderly accounted for about 9.9% of the population; By 2012, it exceeded 10%, officially entering the aging phase. It is forecast that in about 20 years, this rate will increase to 20%. Currently, the country has about 16.1 million elderly people, accounting for more than 16% of the population. On average, each elderly person has 2-3 underlying diseases.

According to forecasts, Vietnam’s aging index will exceed 100 by 2032 – when the number of elderly people is greater than the number of children. Pressure on the workforce is also increasing as the proportion of working-age people supporting an elderly person declines rapidly, from more than 7 people (in 2023) to about 2 people in 2049.

Facing the trend of rapid aging, experts believe that Vietnam needs to effectively take advantage of the remaining “golden population” period, and at the same time prepare early for the social security system to adapt to an aging population. The draft Decree of the Ministry of Health aims to build a multi-layered, flexible elderly care system, taking the community as the foundation. In particular, the home care model and day care locations are expected to help improve the quality of life for the elderly, reduce the load on the health system and promote the role of this growing population group in society.