Vietnam’s Prime Minister has directed the Ministry of Health to guide provinces in developing day-care models for the elderly, structured around the idea of “morning pick-up, evening return” - offering older citizens care, companionship, and activities during the day while allowing them to return home at night.

The directive comes under Directive No. 35, recently signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, as part of a broader strategy to help the country adapt to population aging.

The Prime Minister emphasized that supporting the elderly must become a long-term, regular task closely tied to the country’s sustainable development goals.

Legal reform and a new care philosophy

The Ministry of Health has been tasked with coordinating other ministries to draft amendments to the Law on the Elderly, ensuring it is strategic, feasible, and synchronized, while maximizing the knowledge, experience, and social contributions of older adults in Vietnam.

Among the new care approaches proposed is the development of community centers, day-care facilities, and in-home care services, as well as expanding self-help intergenerational clubs that support both health and social needs.

Streamlining services and digital inclusion

To make services more accessible, the Prime Minister also called for a simplification of administrative procedures and improved data-sharing systems so that elderly citizens can easily engage with government services.

Vietnam’s aging policy is being positioned not just as social support but also as an opportunity for economic innovation.

Building the “silver economy”

The Ministry of Science and Technology, in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Association of the Elderly, is now expected to enable seniors to take part in the country’s digital transformation and entrepreneurship efforts. This includes encouraging seniors to lead research projects and participate in innovation programs.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is working with other agencies to explore models for a “silver economy” - a system that develops goods and services catering specifically to the needs and capacities of older citizens.

Special focus on remote and ethnic regions

The Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs has also been instructed to enhance outreach and policy implementation for seniors in remote, mountainous, and ethnic minority areas, where access to care remains limited.

Provincial governments have been asked to review underused public facilities that could be repurposed into elder care centers, day-care homes, and activity clubs in local wards and communes.

The Vietnam Association of the Elderly is expected to lead national forums on the “silver economy”, and propose the inclusion of this development strategy in key policy discussions - including at the upcoming 14th National Party Congress.

A timely initiative for a rapidly aging nation

As Vietnam enters a new demographic era, with the elderly population expected to grow significantly in the coming decades, policymakers are taking proactive steps to prepare the country’s social, legal, and economic systems.

From community-based day care to digital literacy programs, the evolving vision is one where older Vietnamese citizens are not just cared for - but empowered to continue contributing to national development.

Tran Thuong