Database of good practices on ageing

Older persons in Malaysia; policymakers who have a focal point for issues related to older persons. 

It has successfully created a platform for older persons to voice concerns, strengthened community engagement, and fostered intergenerational understanding. NACSCOM has become a recognized advocate for older persons’ rights and welfare in Malaysia.

NASCOM, the National Council of Senior Citizens Organisations Malaysia, was established in 1990 as a national umbrella body to coordinate, support, and advocate for senior citizen organisations across the country. It was formally registered under PPM-001-10-14071990 and founded to promote the welfare, rights, and active participation of older Malaysians while fostering respect for older persons, enhancing intergenerational understanding, and providing a platform for senior citizens to voice concerns to relevant authorities.

It empowers older persons, promotes respect and dignity, and strengthens social cohesion. By fostering intergenerational communication and leverageing community participation, NACSCOM addresses both social and emotional needs of older persons.

Mostly senior citizens 60+.  Focus on vulnerable/below the poverty line elderly for the pensions and shelter, and focus on active seniors for the job portal and pension funds.

This action plan as been a breakthrough in accessibility for the elderly in India. There are now more that 696 senior citizens homes nationwide, and the Elderline has received millions of calls regarding emotional support, legal aid and rescue requests. Overall this programme significantly increased financial security by increasing subscription to the pension programme. Additionally, it mainstreams ageing by coordinating over 23 government agencies to ensure senior citizens are treated as economic and social contributors.

This plan was developed as a response to Indias rapidly growing population and informed by the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI - the worlds largest study on elderly health and economic security. This policy was developed through seven working groups and consultations with the National Institute of Social Defense and civil society experts. Implemented on the ground by local NGOs and State Governments.

his action plan is highly replicable. The Elderline was an innovative creation. It provided one contact point for all elderly with a crisis. The SACRED portal allows elderly to continue contributing to the economy and stop being dependent on family. The policy aims to stop treating seniors solely as recipients and shift to them being contributors.

Beneficiaries include coastal communities, rural populations, low-income households, disabled persons, and Māori and Pacific peoples who are disproportionately exposed to climate hazards.

The programme integrates resource management, emergency response, and three-waters reforms, enhancing national resilience by improving risk awareness and coordinated adaptation tools.

Developed from the 2020 Climate Change Risk Assessment, the Plan was refined through public consultation with local government, iwi/Māori, Pacific communities, NGOs, and businesses. It set six-year rolling actions across multiple ministries, combining legislation reform, policy measures, and data-sharing platforms.

It is New Zealand’s first integrated, whole-of-government adaptation plan, built on inclusive consultation and systemic reform—making it replicable and resilient.

• https://webstatic.niwa.co.nz/library/9781991025258.pdf

Cambodian citizens aged 60 and above, especially vulnerable groups—older women, rural elders, those with disabilities or financial insecurity. It also includes the younger population in awareness and intergenerational support strategies.

NAP 2017–2030 laid out a phased implementation through a Three-Year Action Plan (2018–2020), operationalized across nine priority areas like financial security, health, living arrangements, older people’s associations (OPAs), and intergenerational relations. A coordinating body—the Cambodia National Committee for Older People—was empowered to monitor and review implementation.

The policy was crafted through broad stakeholder consultation, aligning with national strategic frameworks and global ageing commitments. It launched in phases, with the first Action Plan (2018–2020) operationalizing initiatives through ministries, civil society, and development partners.

It offers a holistic, phased, and inclusive approach—translating a long‑term ageing vision into structured, coordinated action that bridges policy and community implementation through cross‑sector partnerships.

• https://niph.org.kh/niph/uploads/library/pdf/National-Ageing-Policy-Action-Plan-2018-2020-Eng1.pdf

Older persons surviving abuse, as the study had made abuse visible. 

Analysis of abuse of older persons was made available with a separate analysis of Maori older persons. 

Since primary data on abuse of older persons had not been available, the center decided to develop a tool to screen abuse of older persons and to conduct a survey to collect data. The Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale tool was chosen as it asks questions about elderly abuse without addressing it obviously, and therefore people were more likely to give a genuine answer. Longitudinal study allows data to be linked with health and economic records. It was executed as a nation-wide survey via post.

Before this study, elderly abuse was a hidden issue, and now it is a documented government priority. Disguising questions in order to get data where participants did not feel shame was an effective methodological choice. 

Children, Young Adults and Elderly residing in Sh.Funadhoo

The initiative encouraged active participation of older persons, provided valuable information on pension schemes, and featured a family evening with interactive games promoting financial literacy, reinforcing the importance of intergenerational connections and the sharing of knowledge and resources across generations.

The event was developed in collaboration  Ministry of Social and Family Development, Local Government Authority, Sh. Atoll Coundil and Sh. Funadhoo Island Council. It is being conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, Local Government Authority and the Sh Atoll Council including government organizations in the Sh.Atoll

This programme fosters intergenerational connection and community engagement while raising awareness. By combining educational sessions with family-oriented activities, it not only informs participants about issues affecting elderly but also encourages family support, social inclusion, and active participation of elderly in community life.

Data users and policy makers

Amid the changing demographic landscape in Malaysia, with increasing modernisation and urbanisation, NHMS found more older persons living alone. Living with one or more morbidities may happen as one ages. The goal of healthy ageing is to promote happiness and well-being while ageing in place without the need for institutionalisation. Everybody can experience healthy ageing, as being free of disease is not a necessity for it. Many older persons have one or more health conditions that, when well controlled, have little influence on their well-being.

This survey was conducted as a nation-wide community-based survey targeting elderly aged 60 years or more and pre-elderly aged 50 to 59 years. Data was collected via face to-face interview at respondent’s homes using mobile devices with various assessments done based on topics. A total of 5,636 living quarters were approached with 7,117 respondents successfully interviewed. The survey was conducted by trained and experienced personnel, under the expert tutelage of the Institute for Public Health.

It is the first nationwide survey on elderly health conducted by the Ministry of Health, exploring both familiar scopes such as non-communicable diseases and newer scopes such as dementia and abuse. 

The primary beneficiaries are Cambodians aged 60 years and over, targeted to receive integrated, equitable access to essential health services including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

While a formal action plan was still under preparation as of 2021, the policy framework envisioned that Cambodian older people would benefit from equitable access to a quality health care package aimed at achieving welfare, active, productive ageing with dignity. For instance, the Older People’s Association (OPA) community model in Cambodia has shown practical community‑level benefits: “OPAs addressed their members’ health concerns by providing health education sessions, home visits, transportation, health check‑ups, and referrals.” They also assisted members in obtaining ID Poor cards, although advocates called for more tailored Senior Citizen Equity cards.

The policy was developed by the Ministry of Health in 2016, built upon a holistic, multisectoral life‑course approach. It emphasizes advocacy, awareness‑raising, multi‑sector collaboration, and strengthening capacity at primary to tertiary health services to ensure equitable access for older people pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+6extranet.who.int+6UNFPA Cambodia+6. Formal implementation has relied on creating integrated systems, but as of the latest data, detailed action plans are still being finalized.

This policy is a good practice because it adopts a holistic, life-course and multisectoral approach that explicitly addresses older people’s needs through integrated services and equitable access, setting the foundation for dignified, healthy ageing.

• https://www.population-trends-asiapacific.org/files/documents/KH_MIPAAsurvey_2021.pdf

Older persons (60+) in Bangladesh, particularly those with chronic diseases and age-related health needs.

Developed within national health planning processes, aligned with WHO healthy ageing frameworks. Implementation occurs through integration into health service delivery, workforce planning, and public health programming.

This is a good practice because it shifts ageing from social welfare alone to health-system integration, addressing chronic disease and long-term care needs. It is replicable in low and middle-income settings facing rapid demographic transition.

The Welfare Organization reports that around 6.5 million older adults currently benefit from services such as home care, counseling, day and night care, and social support.

Iran's Urban Transformation: 15+ Cities Embrace Age-Friendly Initiatives