{"id":6918,"date":"2026-07-10T11:51:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T04:51:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/uncategorized\/2026\/highlights-from-the-acai-delegations-visit-a-journey-to-shape-the-future-of-active-ageing-in-vietnam\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T11:51:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T04:51:26","slug":"highlights-from-the-acai-delegations-visit-a-journey-to-shape-the-future-of-active-ageing-in-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/news\/2026\/highlights-from-the-acai-delegations-visit-a-journey-to-shape-the-future-of-active-ageing-in-vietnam\/","title":{"rendered":"Highlights from the ACAI Delegation’s Visit: A Journey to Shape the Future of Active Ageing in Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From June 22 to 25, 2026, the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI) \u2013 an intergovernmental organization established in 2020 to support ASEAN countries in adapting to the trend of population ageing \u2013 conducted an official working visit to Vietnam.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

This working visit was part of Phase 2 of the “Promoting Active Ageing in ASEAN” project, which aims to refine the Regional Action Plan (RAP) on Ageing and assess the feasibility of the ASEAN Active Ageing Index (AAAI) in Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n

Strong National Commitment and Regional Integration<\/h2>\n\n

The journey of the ACAI delegation, led by Dr. Somsak Akksilp, the Centre’s Executive Director, officially commenced with a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Health. There, the delegation met and worked with Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, along with leaders from the Population Authority, the General Department of Preventive Medicine, and the International Cooperation Department.<\/p>\n\n

A landmark highlight of the first working day was Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen officially assuming the role of Chair of the ACAI Governing Board for the 2026-2028 term. Taking on this significant responsibility, the Deputy Minister affirmed that Vietnam, together with other member states, will promote a robust, people-centered regional cooperation agenda. Notably, the promulgation of the new Population Law (Law No. 113\/2025\/QH15), effective from July 1, 2026, has created a comprehensive legal foundation for Vietnam to implement interdisciplinary solutions to adapt to the era of ageing.<\/p>\n\n

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Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen also outlined five strategic priorities for ACAI, including: developing a regional database on older persons; enhancing ASEAN’s capacity; promoting research and innovation; mobilizing the private sector; and implementing practical community-support projects. Following the high-level meeting, the delegation held an in-depth session with the Population Authority regarding policy priorities, the social protection system, and evaluating the suitability of the 62 indicators within the AAAI tool in the context of Vietnam’s reality.<\/p>\n\n

Experiencing Community Vitality through the Intergenerational Self-Help Club Model in Ninh Binh<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Leaving the capital on the second day, the delegation embarked on a field trip to Ninh Binh \u2013 a province where older persons account for 20.3% of the population (higher than the national average of 17%). A bright spot in the province’s social welfare efforts is the decision to lower the eligibility age for free Health Insurance to 70 and to provide social assistance allowances for those without pensions.<\/p>\n\n

Another highlight of the second day was the visit to the Intergenerational Self-Help Club (ISHC) in Tien Thon village, Dong Thai commune, Ninh Binh province. Initiated by HelpAge International (HAI) and the Vietnam Association of the Elderly in 2006, the ISHC is now a widely recognized community care model in Vietnam. It has been included in the Prime Minister’s replication schemes three times, won the Human Act Prize in 2025, and was honored by the United Nations as a global good practice in sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n

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In Tien Thon village, the ACAI delegation attended the club’s regular meeting, witnessing the enthusiastic spirit of members engaging in activities such as raising awareness on dementia prevention, cultural and artistic exchanges, discussing community support, and planning a health check-up event for older persons in the village for the following month. Moving beyond the general meeting, the delegation directly visited beneficiaries, including one individual receiving home care from a club volunteer and another who secured a loan to generate income through traditional bamboo and rattan weaving.<\/p>\n\n

By mid-2025, Vietnam will have approximately 9,000 Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs with over 484,000 members, and Ninh Binh alone will contribute 327 clubs with many effective activities, making a significant contribution to social welfare and promoting the role of older people in the locality.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

That afternoon, the delegation held a working session with the Ninh Binh Association of the Elderly and the Ninh Binh Department of Health at the Association’s office. The discussion delved into the practical impacts of the ISHC model, the advantages and challenges of implementing elderly care at the local level, and the exchange of domestic and international experiences regarding elderly affairs and adaptation to population ageing.<\/p>\n\n

Decoding the Gaps: Healthcare, Long-term Care, and Digital Barriers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

During the final two working days in Hanoi, the ACAI delegation engaged in a series of in-depth meetings with leading international organizations and research institutes to strengthen the foundation of data and policy.<\/p>\n\n

Kicking off June 24, the delegation met with representatives of HelpAge International (HAI) to examine the realities of the service delivery system from the perspective of a pioneering international NGO. Here, the ACAI delegation discussed barriers to accessing care services, challenges related to volunteer personnel, and data collection methods at ISHCs. In particular, the ACAI delegation highly commended HAI’s sustainable development strategy after learning about its localization process and the founding of the VIOBA Social Enterprise. By leveraging its strengths in consulting services while developing innovative solutions for active ageing, VIOBA hopes to achieve financial independence and gradually reduce its reliance on traditional aid sources.<\/p>\n\n

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Leaving the HAI office, the delegation proceeded to work with the National Geriatric Hospital to explore the implementation progress of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) program in Vietnam, as well as the potential for integrating this toolkit into the routine health check-up system. That same afternoon, discussions with two UN agencies \u2013 the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and WHO \u2013 helped ACAI form a clearer picture of the ageing data ecosystem. Specifically, the delegation reviewed national statistical data sources with UNFPA to identify data gaps, and simultaneously discussed with WHO the compatibility between the “Age-Friendly Cities” initiative and the ASEAN Active Ageing Index (AAAI).<\/p>\n\n

The final working day (June 25) was dedicated to an in-depth analysis of social transformations in Vietnam. At the Institute for Human, Family, and Gender Studies (IHFGS), the delegation gained access to valuable research on the shift in family structures from multi-generational to nuclear, the unpaid caregiving burden weighing heavily on women, and particularly the digital literacy barrier among older persons \u2013 a “blind spot” that must be addressed as the government accelerates digital services.<\/p>\n\n

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The mission concluded with an exchange with the Central Committee of the Vietnam Association of the Elderly, the agency representing the voices and rights of older persons in Vietnam and the core driver in replicating the ISHC network nationwide. Here, ACAI and the Association’s Central Committee agreed on the potential for collaboration to promote inclusive employment, improve digital skills, and develop the “Silver Economy.”<\/p>\n\n

Looking Toward a Bright Future for Active Ageing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

ACAI’s working visit concluded with results exceeding expectations, clearly outlining Vietnam’s commendable efforts in creating conditions for older persons to be protected and cared for, to continue promoting their roles and experiences, and to actively contribute to the community. Vietnam has made its mark not only through an increasingly perfected policy framework but also through breakthrough practical models at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n\n

For HAI, this trip was both a source of pride in accompanying regional organizations and a promising moment of transition. Through our localization and evolution into the VIOBA Social Enterprise, we are committed to remaining a pioneering organization, advocating for and providing comprehensive, innovative, and sustainable solutions for adapting to population ageing.<\/p>\n\n

With Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen officially assuming the role of ACAI Chair for the 2026-2028 term, Vietnam gains a favorable opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation, share experiences, and gradually become a bright spot in adapting to population ageing. On this journey to shape an inclusive, safe, and happy society for all ages, HAI-VIOBA proudly looks forward to expanding our reach, dedicating our expertise and enthusiasm to realizing the vision of a prosperous “Silver Economy.”<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

HelpAge International in Vietnam is in the process of localizing and transforming into VIOBA Social Enterprise<\/a>.<\/em> Follow our new journey at: https:\/\/vioba.org\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From June 22 to 25, 2026, the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI) \u2013 an intergovernmental organization established in 2020 to support ASEAN countries in adapting to the trend of population ageing \u2013 conducted an official working visit to Vietnam. This working visit was part of Phase 2 of the “Promoting Active Ageing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63,60],"tags":[287],"class_list":["post-6918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","category-news","tag-acai-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6918"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6919,"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6918\/revisions\/6919"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helpagevietnam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}