Database of good practices on ageing

Those aged 55 or over

80% of Singapore's elderly population lives in this senior friendly housing. This programme is highly successful, as it has been ongoing from 1998 until present day.

Developed as a response to the finding that Singapore would become a 'super aged' society by the year 2026, which triggered the need to provide adequate housing. 

This programme allows older persons to have autonomy in their living situation, they can have access to housing that suits their physical needs, and the short leases allow them to have freedom to choose where they want to live. Supports the ageing-in-place philosophy.

HDB | For Our Seniors

Middle-aged and older workers who receive short, job-embedded training to upgrade skills, plan post-retirement pathways and stay employed up to age 70.

In 2024, 31.9% of Japanese employers secured job opportunities up to age 70, up from 29.7% in 2023, with SMEs leading at 32.4%.

Delivered through Human Resources Productivity Support Centers at JEED Polytechnic Centers: 1) counseling & “Human Resources Training Plans,” 2) short skills-upgrade seminars for employees, 3) productivity-improvement training (explicitly including middle-aged and older employees and know-how transfer), and 4) dispatch of instructors and facility/equipment rental.

This programme is tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises, offering flexible, short-format courses and on-site support that align with real production schedules. Its intergenerational approach equips middle-aged and older workers to adapt to evolving roles while transferring skills to younger colleagues. JEED’s tools—including grants guidance, planning resources, and training—are closely aligned with Japan’s post-2021 legal framework to promote employment up to age 70. The initiative has achieved measurable progress, with steady annual growth in companies adopting age-70 employment measures between 2021 and 2024, demonstrating strong system-level impact.

• https://www.jil.go.jp/english/jli/documents/2025/053-03.pdf

Older and younger persons in the respective communities benefit from stronger social ties. Older persons overall benefit from a changed image of ageing and older persons. 

In Japan, participation in the initiative led to a stronger sense of belonging in the community, according to a research study. In the Philippines and Nepal, quantitative research found that Ibasho significantly enhanced social ties among older persons. 

The project was developed through a community-driven approach. The Ibasho project engaged with local communities to understand their needs, cultural context, and aspiration and jointly define their goals. The Ibasho team provides capacity-building. 

The practice led to empowerment of older persons, changes the image of older persons and is an intergenerationanl project. 

Creating Community Resilience Through Elder-Led Physical and Social Infrastructure | Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness | Cambridge Core

Building social capital with elders’ leadership through a community hub “Ibasho” in the Philippines and Nepal

The primary beneficiaries were older adults in China, particularly those with limited digital skills or access. The policy aimed to help them navigate smart technologies and access essential services like healthcare, transportation, and government support more easily.

The initiative ensures older persons’ access to essential services by retaining manual systems, enhancing digital interfaces with age-friendly features, and expanding nationwide volunteer and training programs, thereby promoting digital inclusion, autonomy, and social participation.

The policy was issued by the State Council in 2020 and coordinated across key ministries. Local governments adapted it through specific work plans—adding manual service counters, redesigning apps, and offering training. Tech companies supported implementation by upgrading platforms. Regular follow-ups ensured progress and consistency nationwide.

The policy is a good practice because it combined top-level coordination with local innovation to quickly close the digital gap for older adults. It ensured equal access to essential services during emergencies like COVID-19, promoted inclusive technology design, and launched sustainable training and volunteer programs. Its success has been widely recognized as a model for balancing digital advancement with social equity.

• http://wza.isc.org.cn/gtxd/flxg/20250520/4018.html
• https://www.ndrc.gov.cn/fzggw/jgsj/shs/sjdt/202111/t20211103_1302853.html

People requiring care in Kazakhstan, including children with disabilities and home-bound older persons without family caregiver. 

People who previously had no access to care—especially home‑bound older adults and persons with disabilities—are now eligible for state‑provided in‑home support.

The development of home‑based services occurred alongside broader reforms aimed at improving social welfare, aligning with international standards, and addressing gaps in long‑term care.

The practice provides access to care, reaches vulnerable older persons and facilitates ageing in place. 

Australian retirees reaching statutory pension age, who now receive pension support based on assessed income levels to ensure fair access.

This change streamlined eligibility, improving transparency and equity in pension access. Nearly 80% of age‑eligible Australians now receive some form of age pension, with 50% receiving the full rate—a high take-up compared to other countries.

The income test is managed by Services Australia to ensure fair pension access based on declared and verified income. It is implemented through automated assessments, online tools (like MyGov), and regular income reporting. Thresholds are periodically updated, and the system integrates with tax and employment data for accuracy and efficiency.

The reform provides a transparent, needs-based pension framework that ensures broad coverage while preserving sustainability—delivering fairness and social protection effectively.

• https://pensionresearchcouncil.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Chapter-14.pdf

Older men and women in Türkiye

This guide gathers all relevant services and rights into one document, making it easier for older persons to understand what is available and how to access it.

Older persons requiring long-termcare. 

Assessments and partner reporting show:

• Improved quality of life and functional ability
• Reduced caregiver burden on families
• Increased autonomy and dignity among older persons
• Strengthened community solidarity

These outcomes have been highlighted by both development partners and government stakeholders as a viable long‑term care model for Armenia

Developed by the Armenian Red Cross in collaboration with Swiss Red Cross society

Instead of institutionalisation, the programme provides integrated medico‑social home care, allowing older persons to remain in their homes as long as possible — a strong preference identified in Armenia through baseline studies. Beyond care provision, the programme actively promotes active and healthy ageing,

Supporting Armenia’s Growing Older Population: Swiss Delegation Visits Shirak Region

Older persons in rural areas/villages in Bhutan

Data collected from this model enabled the creation of a national Digital Health Database for seniors. Through the health checks, it was found that around 20% of seniors living rurally needed immediate interventions for cataracts or mobility issues. These interventions would have gone unnoticed without the ICBSP model.

his model was developed as a response to the country's demographic shift. The wellbeing of Bhutanese elderly was usually viewed through the Gross National Happiness philosophy. This is the first standardized medical model that brings geriatric care into the primary care system.

This model adopts the WHO model of Integrated Care for Older People, but adapts it for rural settings by making the screening mobile rather than hospital-based.

Older persons requiring long-term care

The initiative has significantly improved access to social and basic health services for vulnerable older people in Kyrgyzstan, particularly those living alone or with limited mobility. By 2017, the model had reached approximately 400 vulnerable older people, supported by around 200 trained community volunteers, delivering home‑based social care, household assistance, and health‑related support in coordination with state social workers. Importantly, 100% of older persons with low mobility who requested support received assistive equipment, enabling greater independence and social participation.

The community‑based care initiative for older people in Kyrgyzstan was developed incrementally, in response to growing social care gaps and limited institutional capacity. In the mid‑2010s, the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan (RCSK) identified increasing isolation, poverty, and unmet care needs among older persons, particularly those living alone or with limited mobility, through its routine social assistance and health outreach work. Drawing on IFRC community‑based home care standards and lessons from volunteer‑led health and social programmes, RCSK piloted a model that combined home‑based support, trained community volunteers, and coordination with state social workers, ensuring complementarity with public social services rather than duplication.

The practice is cost‑effective, scalable, and aligned with the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, making it a transferable example for countries with limited long‑term care infrastructure.

Integrated home Based Care in Kyrgyzstan | Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung