1. Care Needs of Older People:
Evidence from Vietnam and Indonesia
GIANG THANH LONG
Institute of Public Policy and Management
National Economics University, Hanoi, Vietnam
giang.long@ippm.edu.vn
HelpAge Network Asia/Pacific Regional Conference
Rapid Ageing: A Caring Future
7-11 May 2012, Yangon, Myanmar

2. “The issue of ageing must be at the centre of the global
development agenda. Today, the elderly are the world’s fastest-
growing population group, and among the poorest. One person
in ten is 60 years and older, but by 2050, the rate will be one
person in five. We must meet the needs of the older persons
who are alive today and plan ahead to meet the needs of the
elderly tomorrow. In the developing world, there are almost 400
million people over age 60, the majority of whom are women,
and this figure is expected to rise dramatically in the coming
decade.”
(UNFPA Former Executive Director Ms. Thoraya Obaid’s address to The
Second World Assembly on Ageing in Madrid in 2002)

3. Contents of PresentationContents of Presentation
1. An Overview of Aging Populations in
Vietnam and Indonesia
2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older
People in Vietnam and Indonesia
3. Concluding Remarks

4. Vietnam and Indonesia are going toward the end of
‘demographic transition’ with lower (decreasing) fertility and
mortality rates. Along with higher life expectancies for both
males and females, populations in two countries are aging.
1. Aging Populations in Vietnam and Indonesia
CDR
Population growth rate
CBR
Time
Fertility/MortalityRates

5. It will take only 20 years for Vietnam (2017-2037) and
Indonesia (2020-2040) to increase older population (65+) from
7% to 14% of the total population [or moving from ‘aging phase’
to ‘aged phase’]
1. Aging Populations in Vietnam and Indonesia
115
85
73
69
45
45
26
0 50 100 150
France (1986 - 1980)
Sweden (1890 -1975)
Australia (1938-2011)
USA (1944-2013)
England (1930 -1975)
Spain (1947 -1992)
Japan (1970-1996)
27
26
23
22
20
20
19
0 50 100 150
Chile (1998 -2025)
China (2000-2026)
Sri Lanka (2004 -2027)
Thailand (2003 -2025)
Indonesia (2020-2040)
Vietnam (2017 -2037)
Singapore (2000-2019)
Source: Adapted based on Kinsella and Gist, 1995; U.S. Census Bureau, 2005; GSO (2011) for Vietnam;
UN (2010) for Indonesia

6. 1. Aging Populations in Vietnam and Indonesia

7. 1. Aging Populations in Vietnam and Indonesia

8. From macro perspective, a great challenge for both
Vietnam and Indonesia in taking (social, economic and
health) care of older people is a status of ‘getting old
before getting rich’.
1. Aging Populations in Vietnam and Indonesia
0
10 000
20 000
30 000
40 000
50 000
60 000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
%of 60+
GDP/Capita
Japan
Europe
USA
Australia
Korea
Singapore
China
Indonesia
Viet Nam
Philippines
Malaysia
Thailand
Source : World Health Statistics 2008 as quoted by Ogawa and Toshihiro (2009)

9. 2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
(1) ‘Feminization of aging’ – care needs of older women and
the oldest old.
Marital status of Vietnamese older people, 2011
Single Married Divorced/Separated Widowed
Age 60-69 5.6 72.7 2.3 19.4
70-79 3.3 54.9 0.6 41.2
80+ 0.4 37.1 0.5 62.0
Gender Male 1.2 84.3 0.5 14.0
Female 5.4 42.1 1.7 50.7
Source: Calculation from VNAS (Vietnam National Aging Survey) 2011
Marital status of Indonesian older people, 2011
Single Married Divorced/Separated Widowed
Age 60-69 1.0 68.4 2.4 28.2
70-79 0.8 49.3 2.3 47.6
80+ 1.1 32.5 2.4 64.0
Gender Male 0.8 84.4 1.2 13.6
Female 1.1 37.1 3.3 58.5
Source: Calculation from Susenas 2011

10. 2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
Percentage of widowed males and females by gender and age, 2009
Age group 60-69 70-79 80+ All
Male 5,88 15,73 36,02 13,85
Female 36,97 57,94 81,93 53,69
All 23,04 40,56 66,25 37,12
Source: Vietnam Population and Housing Census 2009
‘Double jeopardy’ – female and widowhood

11. 2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
(2) ‘Living alone’ and ‘only older couple’ – resulting from
changes in living arrangements and migration.
Living arrangements of Vietnamese older people, 1993-2008 (%)
1993 1998 2002 2004 2006 2008
With children 79.73 74.48 74.27 70.65 63.74 62.61
Living alone 3.47 4.93 5.29 5.62 5.91 6.14
Only elderly couple 9.48 12.73 12.48 14.41 20.88 21.47
With grandchildren only 0.68 0.74 0.82 1.09 1.16 1.41
Other 6.64 7.12 7.14 8.23 8.31 8.37
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100
Source: Calculation from VHLSS 1992/93 – 2008
Living arrangements of Indonesian older people, 1993-2007 (%)
1993 1997 2000 2007
With children 65.80 49.45 48.24 40.13
Living alone 9.63 8.37 7.97 10.97
Only older couple 5.71 5.80 5.53 7.09
With grandchildren only 4.23 2.47 2.54 2.38
Other 14.63 33.92 35.71 39.43
Total 100 100 100 100
Source: Calculation from IFLS 1993, 1997/98, 2000, 2007/08

12. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS (by location of the nearest child)
12
Same house Nearby Same
commune
Same
ward
Same
district
Same
province
More than 90% of parents aged 70-79 and 80+ having at least a child who
live in the same commune, and this may show a supply of care for the
older people
2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
Source: Vietnam National Aging Survey (VNAS) 2011

13. Percent distribution of family members who provide most
help to older people who currently live with spouse, by sex
(Vietnam)
2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
Source: Vietnam National Aging Survey (VNAS) 2011

14. Percent distribution of family members who provide most help
to older people who currently do not live with spouse, by sex
(Vietnam)
2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
Source: Vietnam National Aging Survey (VNAS) 2011

15. To whom older people give support?
15
2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People

16. (3) Care needs for those who perform ADLs (Activities of Daily
Life) with difficulty, particularly those at more advanced ages
2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
Source: Vietnam National Aging Survey (VNAS) 2011

17. 2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
Source: IFLS 2007
By Age Group By Gender

18. (4) Isolated, neglected and depressed in family life
2. Factors underlying Care Needs of Older People
Source: Vietnam National Aging Survey (VNAS) 2011
% feeling depression

19. Low rates of
disability and
illness
Active social
participation
Physical and
mental activities
HEALTH
SOCIAL
ECONOMIC
Successful
Aging
Source: Adapted from Rowe and Kahn (1998)
3. Concluding Remarks
• Female and more advanced age older people are more needy
of care in various aspects.
• Given changes in living arrangements, which influence
familial support, community-based care should be
considered/promoted as most feasible alternative.

20. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
QUESTIONS & COMMENTS
ARE WELCOME