Rain, punctures and powerful coastal winds could not stop three retired teachers nearing 70 from completing a 2,300km motorbike journey across Vietnam.

Summer vacation has become an annual tradition over the past eight years for the extended family of Pham Thi Minh Huong (born in 1983, native of Nam Dinh, now Xuan Giang Commune, Ninh Binh Province).

At 40, many people are still juggling demanding careers, raising young children, and paying off mortgages or other debts.

Lifestyle, health, finances, and the psychological mindset formed during youth will dictate quality of life in senior years. Waiting until age 40 to begin preparing for old age is far too late, according to Professor Dr. Nguyen Dinh Cu.

Longer life expectancy and the trend of prioritising financial independence and health among the elderly are creating new demand and opening up opportunities for Vietnam’s “silver economy”.

A Vietnamese grandmother who survived war and recovered from a serious hip fracture at an advanced age continues to inspire generations of her family.

Many people work for a lifetime, yet upon reaching old age, they don’t have pensions, fail to qualify for social allowances, and must depend entirely on their families.

As Vietnam moves toward an ageing society, experts are urging the government to expand social pension coverage by lowering the qualifying age to 65.

At nearly 100 years old, Duong Thi Xoan continues to care for herself, tend her garden and prepare meals, while passing down lessons of kindness and compassion to more than 60 descendants.

Despite her hunched back and silver hair, Dang Thi Hoa spends her days stoking the fire, frying, and selling traditional cakes on the sidewalks of HCMC, from the early hours of dawn until the scorching midday sun.

Many elderly people have been hospitalized suffering from anxiety, insomnia and depression after being victimized by scams, from promotional purchases to large financial investments.

The elderly in Vietnam will be entitled to at least one free annual health check-up or screening from 2026 under a revised national programme on elderly care through 2030.

Behind promises of free gifts, luxury holidays and profitable resale opportunities through timeshare contracts, many elderly people have lost between several billion dong and up to nearly VND20 billion.

The 95-year-old man still remembers everyone in the neighborhood, goes to the market by himself, cooks his own meals and weaves baskets every day.

At 10am, in a century-old house on Hang Bac Street in Hanoi, Prof. Dr. Pham Huy Dung (born in 1937) can be seen diligently working on his laptop.

After completing a 6,000km motorbike journey across Vietnam in 31 days, a 75-year-old man from HCMC continues inspiring many with his passion for travel and adventure.

With more than 14 million people aged over 60, Vietnam faces mounting pressure to strengthen long-term elderly care services.

Many elderly people in Vietnam have never had their blood pressure checked, and sometimes take medication based on personal judgment, or only use medicine when they feel unwell. All of this can lead to serious medical consequences such as a stroke.

The Ministry of Health is seeking feedback on a draft decree guiding the implementation of the Law on Population, which proposes financial support for prenatal and newborn screening, as well as the development of community-based elderly care models.