Each day, Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi receives tens of thousands of patients. Among them are many who, after just receiving their retirement pensions, find themselves hospitalized instead of enjoying their post-work lives.

For the past year, 65-year-old N.T.M. from Ninh Binh has been a regular at the hospital's Respiratory Center due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He also suffers from diabetic neuropathy and weakening knee joints. Although he has only been retired for a few years, his number of hospital visits now surpasses those in previous decades.

"At just over 60, I already feel worn out. I want to meet up with friends, but even that’s difficult. I just received my pension and now I’m constantly in and out of the hospital. It’s such a burden on my children," he said.

His story is not uncommon. Though Vietnam's average life expectancy has reached nearly 75 years, the country's healthy life expectancy is only about 65 years. This means the average Vietnamese spends almost the last decade of life struggling with illness. On average, each elderly person in Vietnam suffers from two to three chronic diseases.

Healthy life expectancy is a critical measure of life quality, reflecting the number of years one can expect to live in good health, free from serious illness or disability.

Professor Giang Thanh Long, senior lecturer at the National Economics University’s School of Public Policy and Management, notes that while Vietnam’s life expectancy is comparable to countries with higher per capita incomes such as Thailand and Malaysia, its healthy life expectancy lags behind.

“We’re living longer, but not necessarily better,” he said. In Southeast Asia, Vietnamese men rank fifth and women rank second in life expectancy, but suffer from more years of illness than peers in the region.

Why are Vietnamese spending more years living with illness?

Dr. Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health, attributes the problem to poor nutrition, which negatively affects physical development and overall quality of life.

Unhealthy habits such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high salt intake, and insufficient consumption of vegetables and fruits, along with physical inactivity, are major contributors. About 20% of the population is overweight, and 44% of urban adults have high cholesterol levels.

Another reason is the shifting disease pattern in Vietnam, from infectious to chronic non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, joint diseases, and cancer. These diseases are becoming more prevalent among younger people, leading to increased medical costs. According to the Ministry of Health, treatment costs for the elderly are nearly 10 times higher than for younger adults.

“Non-communicable diseases now account for over 73% of Vietnam's disease burden and 81.4% of total deaths nationwide,” Dr. Duc stated.

Environmental risk factors are also rising, including pollution, poor hygiene, limited awareness of personal and environmental cleanliness, climate change, and extreme weather events. These issues are contributing to higher hospitalization rates, especially among vulnerable communities.

With Vietnam’s population aging rapidly, Professor Giang Thanh Long warns that without adequate education and training in healthcare, the burden of illness will take a toll not only on individuals but also on families and society at large.

Healthy aging requires more than just good health and money

To improve quality of life in later years, elderly care must address not only medical and financial needs, but also social and emotional well-being. Professor Long argues that someone may appear wealthy and healthy, but if they are isolated and socially inactive, they are not truly aging successfully. Conversely, a financially secure 60-year-old who desires social interaction but is too frail to participate also does not meet the criteria for successful aging.

In a recent study applying the World Health Organization’s "healthy aging" index, Professor Long and his team found that beyond traditional factors such as gender, age, location, and economic status, social participation – such as involvement in family and community activities – plays a vital role in determining healthy aging outcomes.

“This means that in addition to social welfare policies that ensure income for the elderly, we must invest more in community engagement initiatives, especially as family sizes shrink and the traditional multigenerational household shifts to the nuclear family model,” he emphasized.

On August 1, the Prime Minister approved a national plan to expand intergenerational self-help clubs through 2035. Professor Long praised the decision as aligning with the spirit of promoting community engagement among seniors and adapting to population aging in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has proposed offering scholarships and tuition support to students specializing in geriatrics, and plans to develop a nationwide network of community-based elderly care professionals.

Vo Thu