Adapting to an aging population: Attention to mental health for the elderly is needed

These are the views shared by speakers at the talk show "The other side of life's slope" organized by Health+ Magazine on the morning of November 27 in Hanoi .

The discussion "The other side of life's slope" and book launch "The paradox of old age" by journalist Tran Ngoc Chau had the participation of 4 prestigious speakers, people who, despite being past the rare age threshold, still maintain a vibrant life, in tune with society through activities such as writing, participating in sports , and holding important work responsibilities.

At the seminar, speakers shared personal experiences to maintain an active life and an optimistic spirit, through activities such as participating in sports, writing, and communicating with friends. In particular, Dr. and journalist Tran Ngoc Chau shared more about how to adapt and overcome the consequences of old age, based on the book "The Paradox of Old Age".

At the same time, experts made suggestions to soon realize the goals of caring for the elderly, especially the goal of "building a culture of health among the people" and the model of "health care center, anti-loneliness for the elderly" that General Secretary To Lam was interested in and raised when implementing Resolution 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo .

Dr. and journalist Tran Ngoc Chau shared at the seminar.

Vietnam is rapidly becoming an aging society, with the proportion of people over 60 years old expected to reach 20% by 2036 and potentially 25% by 2050, posing significant challenges to the social welfare and health care systems.

A new model of elderly care, similar to adult day care centers, is being seen as an ideal model to help the elderly not be lonely in old age when relatives go to work or school.

Sharing about this content, Associate Professor, Doctor Le Van Truyen - Senior expert in pharmacy; former Deputy Minister of Health and currently Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Health+ Magazine said that the costs at nursing homes are too expensive, while more affordable facilities do not meet expectations.

Dr. Tran Ngoc Chau, journalist - Senior Advisor of Forbes Vietnam; former Editor-in-Chief - Director of FBNC Television; Editor-in-Chief, founding member of Saigon Times; Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Saigon Economic Times; former member of the Editorial Board, General Secretary of Tuoi Tre newspaper, and author of the book "Paradox of Aging" said that families put their parents in nursing homes for many different reasons.

However, currently, nursing homes in Vietnam often do not classify residents based on economic status and severity of illness, leading to mixed living arrangements. A major problem is the lack of proper training and compassion of caregivers, which is exacerbated by low wages, unlike in Japan, where higher salaries attract better staff.

Therefore, the quality of nursing home services and the concept of 'medical ethics' are important issues that need to be addressed.

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Van Truyen shared.

According to Professor, Dr. Trinh Quan Huan, former Deputy Minister of Health; Chairman of the Council of Ethics in Biomedical Research of the Institute of Functional Foods, preventive health care is very important to achieve the goal of healthy aging, but the budget allocated for preventive medicine, expected to be 30% of the health care budget, has not been met, often only reaching 20-28%.

Therefore, Professor Huan proposed the need for clear, specific and effectively implemented action plans, with accountability for individuals and tasks, to ensure that preventive health care develops strongly and achieves healthy aging goals.

Dr. Hoang Phong Ha, former Acting Director-Editor-in-Chief of the National Political Publishing House Truth; former Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Publishing Association; former member of the Scientific Council of the Central Party agencies emphasized the role of the Party and State, especially the health sector, in assessing the care of the elderly in different regions, thereby improving the nursing home system and developing specialized geriatric nurses.

THIEN LAMB

Source: https://nhandan.vn/thich-ung-voi-gia-hoa-dan-so-can-quan-tam-suc-khoe-tinh-than-cho-nguoi-cao-tuoi-post926353.html