Caring for the elderly to live happily, healthily and joyfully

The Elderly Association of Nai Hien Dong Ward (Son Tra District) collaborated with the Health Station to organize the 2025 annual health check-up for the elderly. Photo: THIEN AN

Health insurance coverage for the elderly.

The protection, care, and promotion of the role of the elderly has become a central task prioritized by all levels, sectors, and localities, contributing to building a humane, compassionate, and sustainably developing society. According to Thai Dinh Hoang, Deputy Head of the City's Elderly Association, 98% of elderly people aged 60 and over now have health insurance cards. This is an important foundation for the city's elderly to easily access medical services and protect their health effectively and comprehensively.

Since 2023, the Association's representative board, in coordination with the Department of Health, has implemented a program to protect, care for, and improve the health of the elderly until 2030. The program aims to strengthen the capacity of the healthcare system in caring for the elderly, while adapting to the increasingly evident trend of population aging. In 2024, more than 63,800 elderly people across the city received regular health check-ups at district and commune health centers and health stations. Notably, the seven district-level representative boards of the Association of the Elderly proactively mobilized the participation of public and private medical facilities in screening, counseling, and supporting the treatment of chronic diseases and common illnesses in the elderly such as: eye, musculoskeletal, lung, dental, and stroke prevention...

Some notable activities include: Hospital 199 ( Ministry of Public Security ) organizing examinations and rehabilitation for 1,500 elderly people; Da Nang Traditional Medicine Hospital providing specialized geriatric treatment for nearly 500 people; Laza International Clinic Da Nang and An Phuc Multi-Specialty Clinic organizing comprehensive and specialized dental and oral care examinations for over 3,000 elderly people.

Engagement, support, and development

Besides caring for physical health, the city's Elderly Associations at all levels also pay special attention to the spiritual life and social welfare of the elderly, especially those in difficult circumstances. According to Mr. Thai Dinh Hoang, in 2023, the City Association mobilized and donated 9,015 gifts worth over 3.9 billion VND to elderly people and families with elderly members who are poor, near-poor, sick, or living alone. Along with that, cultural, artistic, and sports activities are regularly organized, creating a healthy environment, fostering optimism, and strengthening community bonds. The City Association collaborates with the culture and sports sector to organize many competitions, performances, and sports tournaments for the elderly. “These activities contribute to promoting grassroots cultural movements. This is one of the important factors that helps the elderly live happily, healthily, and contentedly,” Mr. Hoang shared.

To date, the city has 165 fitness clubs, 34 arts and culture clubs, 56 health counseling and care clubs, and 44 intergenerational self-help clubs operating effectively. One of the exemplary models is the intergenerational self-help club in Duong Son village, Hoa Chau commune (Hoa Vang district). Ms. Nguyen Thi Chuan, the club's chairperson, said: “The club currently has 55 members, meeting regularly on the 19th of every month. In addition to the activities guided by the International Organization for the Support of the Elderly in Vietnam (HAI), we also organize two annual health check-ups, cultural exchanges, and share life experiences and self-care tips.”

In addition, the club established a volunteer group of 10 members who regularly visit and encourage elderly people who are sick or living alone. Currently, the unit maintains a fund of over 150 million VND, of which 115 million VND is sponsored by the HAI Organization and 15 million VND comes from the local budget, used to provide loans to members for small-scale production and trading, improving their lives.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, Vice President of the Elderly Association of Ngu Hanh Son District, the District Association, in coordination with the District Health Center and ward health stations, organizes free medical examinations and provides free medicine to thousands of elderly people each year. In 2024 alone, 6,675 people received free examinations and medicine. The Association also collaborated with Saigon Eye Hospital to provide eye consultations, examinations, and medication to 200 people. In addition, the District Association mobilized over 1,100 gifts worth more than 390 million VND to support elderly people in difficult circumstances, contributing to improving their lives and encouraging the spirit of "elderly people setting a good example." These efforts have spread a spirit of community responsibility and affirmed the pivotal role of the elderly in building cultural life in residential areas.

The People's Committee of Da Nang City has issued a plan to implement the Elderly Healthcare Program until 2030 in Da Nang City . During the period 2026-2030, the goal is for 90% of specialized hospitals, district health centers, and public and private traditional medicine hospitals to organize separate examination rooms for the elderly in their outpatient departments, allocate inpatient beds for the elderly, and for 100% of general and specialized hospitals to have a Geriatrics Department.

THIEN AN

Source: https://baodanang.vn/xa-hoi/202506/cham-care-nguoi-cao-tuoi-song-vui-khoe-va-hanh-phuc-4009669/