Database of good practices on ageing

The main beneficiaries are local governments and district councils who can use the guidebook to plan and implement age-friendly policies and programmes. Community organizations and NGOs can further benefit from it. 

The guidebook informed district-level planning and contributed to a broader age-friendly city strategy in Hong Kong, China.

The Age-Friendly City Case Book was developed under the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project (JCAFC) through a collaborative, evidence-based process involving academic institutions, NGOs, and government agencies. It draws on five years of research and community engagement across Hong Kong’s 18 districts, including baseline assessments, surveys, and focus groups to identify local needs. The guidebook consolidates global and local best practices, practical tools, and templates for planning, implementing, and evaluating age-friendly initiatives. Its goal is to provide actionable resources for policymakers and communities to create inclusive, supportive environments for older adults.

It provides a comprehensive toolkit—including assessment questionnaires, focus group protocols, and action-plan templates—that local governments and NGOs can use to implement age-friendly initiatives. Thus, it supports evidence-based policymaking and forms a basis for designing age-friendly cities. 

Strategies for Creating an Age-friendly City: Book - Age-Friendly World

Policymakers in Vanuatu who benefit from evidence on ageing and the situation of older persons in Vanuatu. 

The study generated primary data on the situation of older persons in Vanuatu. 

The research was conducted using a qualitative, multi‑method approach designed to understand both the policy environment and the lived experiences of older people in Vanuatu.

As of 2024, the following results were achieved:
91 projects were implemented across 54 municipalities under the program.

• A total of 64.3 million TL was allocated to fund these initiatives.
• 159,189 older persons received support, covering 106,069 households.
• Services included psychosocial support, home care, technical assistance, mobile teams, and coordination centers.
• The program strengthened local capacity, promoted community-based care, and introduced technology-supported models (e.g., smart monitoring systems for safety).
• Key achievements: improved quality of life, active ageing, family-focused social work, and sustainability through co-financing and local ownership.

The YADES program was developed by Türkiye’s Ministry of Family and Social Services in 2016 as a response to the country’s rapidly ageing population and growing care needs. It was designed as the first large-scale national grant program in the field of ageing, financed through the state budget and implemented by municipalities under provincial supervision.

YADES promotes community-based care and "ageing in place", allowing older persons to remain in their own homes and cared by communities. It promotes local ownership as it is implemented by municipalities. 

Applications for the Elderly Support Program Started | General Directorate of Disabled and Elderly Services | Applications for the Elderly Support Program Started

Presentation with more information by the Ministry of Family and Social Services

The national dementia plan was developed through a multi‑stage, collaborative process. A Strategic Council, two technical committees, and experts from health, rehabilitation, and social sectors guided its creation. First, a draft was prepared based on existing system structures and international guidance. This draft was circulated to academics, specialists, and relevant organizations for review. Feedback was gathered through group discussions, revised, and integrated into a second and third draft. After multiple expert consultations and revisions, the final version was approved and disseminated to health authorities for implementation.

Users of data on older persons: Government, NGOs, public and private organizations. 

The survey produced detailed and sex-disaggregated data for welfare indicators for women and men aged 65 or over. 

The survey was developed jointly by TurkStat, the General Directorate of Services for Persons with Disabilities, the Elderly of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, formalized through a signed protocol in May 2023. Implementation involved identifying sample households via regional sampling, then administering a multi-domain questionnaire in person to household members aged 50+. A proxy-response protocol was built in for older respondents with health conditions or disabilities restricting their ability to answer, using a knowledgeable substitute respondent while excluding subjective/opinion questions in those cases to preserve data validity.

This is a good practice because it takes holisitc, yet highliy detailed apporach towards  various indicators, ranging from health, functional capacity, technology use to social participation and end-of-life preferences.  The inter-institutional protocol between the statistics office and the social services , plus the planned, make the approach both replicable (a template other countries or regions could adopt) and sustainable, since open microdata access allows ongoing, independent policy research well beyond the initial press release.

Eligible Filipino Citizens

In 2025, the programme reached 235,000 vulnerable Filipinos, and served over 1000 senior citizens. The results show that individuals involved have improved standards of living, as they have additional household income and stabilized employment. The psychological impact of the programme remains positive, as it has combatted social isolation and given elders a renewed sense of purpose through productive activities.

Since its start in 1993, the programme has evolved from a traditional credit facility into a more modern, grant-based sustainability model utilized today, and the shift was made in 2015. Seniors are identified, and given basic business training, then the grant is released and the micro-enterprise is set up. The DWSD helps the senior to link up with local markets and partners and the business is then monitored for growth. The final stage is where the senior 'graduates' from the programme after achieving a self-sustaining income.

This is a good practice as it is age inclusive, acknowledging that elders have valuable skills that are underutilized in that typical labour market, treating them as active economic contributors rather than passive dependents. Additionally, the programme has high visibility and support among non-beneficiaries, which creates an environment that encourages entrepreneurship in elders. The programme provides a safe and risk-free entry into entrepreneurship and provides a 5 year safety net to ensure long-term success for Filipinos in need.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/philippines/publication/the-philippines-sustainable-livelihood-program-providing-and-expanding-access-to-employment-and-livelihood-opportunities

Women and men aged 40 years old or over

Evidence suggests a growing number of technology-based startups led by individuals aged 40 and above, with their share increasing more rapidly than that of younger cohorts, indicating rising entrepreneurial activity among older persons. In parallel, there has been a notable increase in investment in senior-focused startups and “silver economy” ventures

The Tech-based Startup Centers for Seniors in the Republic of Korea were developed incrementally within the country’s broader national entrepreneurship and ageing policy framework.

By leveraging the skills, knowledge and networks of older persons, the initiative facilitates their transition into self-employment, thereby contributing to active ageing, income security and inclusive economic growth. 

Senior-related startup boom surges in Korea - 매일경제 영문뉴스 펄스(Pulse)

스타트업베이 > JEJU TECH-BASED STARTUP CENTER FOR SENIORS

Older persons in the Philippines interested in learning digital skills

The initiative built a community of older adults interested in digital learning and active ageing and helped them gain digital skills with ongoing support mechanisms, including online learning communities. 

Techie Senior Citizens and Retirees Philippines (Techie Seniors PH) was formed in February 2018 after Koree S. Monteloyola, founder of Kairos I.T. Services, organized a free seminar on internet usage for senior citizens and retirees as part of the company's anniversary activities. The positive response from older participants demonstrated a need for digital literacy support among older Filipinos and led to the establishment of a dedicated community.

The initiative addresses digital exclusion among older persons. 

Older persons living alone, elderly couples, persons with chronic illnesses, persons with dementia and other individuals requiring emergency community support.

The programme has developed into a territory-wide tele-assistance network supporting thousands of older persons. It provides continuous emergency response, community referrals and outdoor protection services. Recent government measures have expanded the service by waiving monthly service fees for eligible elderly persons living alone or in elderly-only households, improving affordability and access for vulnerable groups.

The programme was established through collaboration between the Social Welfare Bureau and the General Union of Neighbourhood Associations of Macau to support ageing in place. A 24-hour call centre responds to emergency alerts and coordinates assistance through community networks and relevant service providers. The service has progressively expanded from home-based emergency response to include outdoor positioning, search assistance and referrals to community care services. Government funding, community partnerships and telecommunications support have enabled continuous service improvement and wider coverage for vulnerable older persons.

The programme integrates emergency response, telecare, community support and digital technology into a single service that helps older persons remain safely in their own homes and communities. Its partnership model involving government, non-governmental organizations and the telecommunications sector demonstrates a scalable and sustainable approach to supporting ageing in place that can be adapted by other ageing societies.

All Medicare‑eligible Australians—including those in rural, remote, regional areas, and the broader population—benefited. Access expanded to GPs, specialists, allied health professionals, nurse practitioners, midwives, and more.

The programme enabled 16.1 million patients to access over 86.3 million telehealth services, delivered by more than 89,000 providers, with total Medicare rebates of $4.4 billion.

Between March and May 2020, in response to COVID‑19, the government rapidly introduced 281 new MBS telehealth items; later, these were extended and formalized into permanent services following audit, stakeholder consultation, and phased policy integration.

It transformed 10 years of healthcare reform into just 10 days, dramatically improving nationwide access to care via telehealth, and enduring through permanence due to its proven scale, equity, and effectiveness.

• https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/expansion-telehealth-services