Many challenges arise from an aging population.

In Nghe An, caring for the elderly is one of the annual activities implemented by the Population Department for many years, despite many difficult conditions.

Pressure of old age

Although born in 1953, Mr. Phan Xuan Cuong and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Minh (Hamlet 7, Lien Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District) look much older than their age. Mrs. Minh, in particular, suffers from chronic back pain and years of continuous manual labor, causing her back to become hunched and making walking extremely difficult. Despite their increasing age and declining health, the couple diligently work every day, tending their small garden, growing corn and beans, and raising pigs and chickens.

In Lien Thanh commune, cases like that of Mr. Cuong and Mrs. Minh are not uncommon. Although they have three grown children with their own families, their lives are still difficult, with many working far from home. Not wanting to depend on their children and grandchildren, and lacking a salary, the couple struggles to earn money to support themselves and help their children and grandchildren.

Speaking about her family's current situation, Mrs. Minh confided: "My husband and I are farmers, and after all these years of saving, we've only managed to build a decent house for our children to live in. Now that we're older, we have no savings. We spend whatever we earn, and it's very difficult."

Lien Thanh commune currently has 1,385 members of the association.elderlyOf these, about 60 are elderly people who are living alone, facing difficulties, or suffering from illness. Of the remaining 20%, only 20% of the senior citizens receive a pension. Many elderly people, even at their advanced age, still worry about daily living expenses because they don't want to depend on their children or grandchildren.

Mr. Pham Cong Thuy, Chairman of the Elderly Association of Lien Thanh commune, said: “Most elderly people in our commune are dependent on their children and grandchildren. If their children and grandchildren have jobs and are financially stable, life is less difficult. However, many still have to struggle to make a living every day. In recent years, the commune has established intergenerational clubs and a model of grandmothers with the aim of gathering members to care for and assist them, especially in economic development.”

However, the number of members participating in these clubs is still small, and funding is limited, so the number of people who receive loans for economic development remains very modest, with each loan ranging from only 10 to 20 million VND. Meanwhile, according to regulations, elderly people over 60 years old are not eligible for loans for economic development from programs and projects of the Social Policy Bank, making it very difficult for them to expand production and take control of their lives.”

In Tan Ky district, during a discussion, Mr. Ho Minh Ha – Head of the Population and Family Planning Communication Department, District Health Center, stated: “Currently, the aging rate in Tan Ky is 12.6%, exceeding the elderly population threshold (10%). This poses a significant challenge to the care of the elderly, especially in terms of social pressure (the elderly care healthcare system) and family pressure (the most difficult being economic hardship). Almost all elderly people today depend on their children and do not have the means to receive adequate care.”

Therefore, only about 40% of elderly people are healthy enough to participate in the workforce, while the rest have health problems. Another concern we have is that currently, the percentage of elderly people in the district receiving pensions is very low, only 1%.”

Difficulties and challenges

The 21st century is known as the century of population aging. Globally, calculations show that between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the population over 60 years old will double from 11% to 22%. In recent years, Vietnam has also followed this trend of population aging.

Specifically, since 2011, the proportion of the population over 60 years old has reached 9.9%, and Vietnam has officially entered the stage of population aging. More than 10 years later, according to data from the General Statistics Office in 2022, Vietnam has approximately 11.86 million elderly people (60 years and older), accounting for 12% of the population. With this growth rate, it is projected that Vietnam will become a very old country by 2038, with the proportion of people aged 60 and over reaching 20.1%, and by 2049 accounting for about 25% of the population, meaning that for every four people, one is elderly.

Regarding the issue of population aging in Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Truong – Director of the Department of Population Structure and Quality, General Department of Population and Family Planning, stated that: Along with rapid aging, population aging in Vietnam has its own unique characteristics. These include a trend towards feminization in the elderly, with an increasing rate of widowhood and the number of elderly people living alone.

It is concerning that the material living conditions of elderly people in Vietnam are still difficult, with 68% of them living in rural areas, being farmers and engaged in agriculture. The health of elderly people in Vietnam is also limited, facing a double burden of disease; on average, each elderly person suffers from three illnesses. Meanwhile, the healthcare system has not yet met the increasing needs of the elderly.

Given the increasing population aging, Nghe An province has paid special attention to healthcare for the elderly in recent years. Specifically, the Population Department, in accordance with Plan No. 427/KH-UBND dated July 30, 2021, on "Implementing the program for healthcare of the elderly in Nghe An province until 2030," has implemented numerous programs. Accordingly, the Population and Family Planning Sub-Department annually organizes the "Happy and Healthy Living for the Elderly" competition, which has received attention from the Party Committee and government, attracting a large number of elderly participants.

The sector has also organized dozens of communication and health care consultation sessions for the elderly in the area, communicating about population aging and promoting the role of the elderly. These sessions focused on topics such as: providing information and advice on proper nutrition and exercise for the elderly; guidance on maintaining hygiene and health for the elderly; common diseases among the elderly and how to prevent them… During these programs, the elderly also received direct consultations, had their questions answered regarding health and old age, and received free medication.

However, in this contextpopulation agingWith the pace of development accelerating and the resources for implementation remaining limited, this remains a challenging task.

Discussing this issue, Mr. Nguyen Ba Tan, Head of the Population and Family Planning Department, added: “In Nghe An, the biggest difficulty currently is the limited and inconsistent provision of community-based healthcare. Medical examinations and treatment for the elderly are still not given sufficient attention. Meanwhile, the social security system has not developed comprehensively. Providing knowledge and skills for healthcare, as well as material and spiritual support, to the elderly has not received adequate attention, both in terms of awareness campaigns, training, and direct care. Therefore, the rights of the elderly are not guaranteed as stipulated. In addition, funding for these activities is extremely limited, mainly used for awareness campaigns and fundraising, leaving little room for supporting the provision of specialized medical equipment for the elderly.”

These challenges also require coordinated efforts from the provincial to the grassroots level. This will highlight the responsibility of the government and relevant departments in implementing policies and laws regarding the elderly, ensuring that the elderly receive comprehensive care in terms of health, social support, living conditions, and culture.