Database of good practices on ageing

Older persons in Kochi, India. 

The school of seniors created learning opportunities for older persons, including on digital literacy. As a result, older adults gained basic digital skills, enabling them to use smartphones, social media, and online services confidently. The programme also reduced isolation by creating a vibrant community where seniors interact, share experiences, and build friendships.

The School of Seniors in Kochi was developed as part of the Age-Friendly Kochi City initiative to promote lifelong learning and active aging. It was conceptualized by the Sports & Management Research Institute (SMRI) in collaboration with CEDAC (Center of Excellence for Developing Age-Friendly Communities). First, gaps in engagement and learning opportunities for older adults in Kochi were identified. Then the curriculum was designed with courses focused on health, technology, hobbies, and social interaction to keep seniors mentally and physically active.

The initiative leads to positive outcomes improving the situation and health of older persons. It has also been recognized as a scalable age-friendly practice under the Kochi Age-Friendly City framework.

The "School of Seniors": A Lifelong Learning Model - Age-Friendly World

The plan targets Thai citizens aged 60 and above, with emphasis on vulnerable groups, caregivers, and community stakeholders at all administrative levels.

As a strategic framework, the plan sets measurable goals across five pillars but does not contain results or evaluation data. Implementation outcomes were intended to be assessed in 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021, but no summary was included in this revision document.

Led by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the plan was revised in collaboration with Chulalongkorn University and local stakeholders. It features five strategic pillars—from healthy ageing to policy monitoring—with clear indicators and provincial/local focal points for implementation and evaluation.

It is a good practice due to its comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach and clear accountability framework. The plan sets specific, measurable, and time-bound targets for each strategy, ensuring progress can be tracked and evaluated effectively.

Adults in Seoul roughly 50–64 (“50+ generation”).

In 2024, the “Seoul Run 4050” project expanded mid-life support, enhancing job-skills and digital training through 50+ Centers and strengthening pathways from mid-career talent to paid employment.

Led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city launched a Comprehensive Support Plan for the 50+ Generation and created the Seoul 50+ Foundation (2016) to design and coordinate programs. Delivery is through a citywide network of 50+ Campuses/Centers that provide education, career redesign and matching, community/volunteer engagement, and spaces for intergenerational exchange.

Seoul’s 50+ policy targets mid-lifers (50–64) through a city-backed foundation and district centers that integrate learning, jobs, and social engagement. The network promotes encore careers and paid volunteering, while adapting—via the “Seoul Run 4050” expansion—to include people in their 40s and strengthen digital and job-skills training in response to labor-market shifts.

• https://50plus.or.kr/upload/im/2024/01/f1ef4786-d584-4e57-9a23-4e5c656024e7.pdf?utm_source
• https://www.who.int/westernpacific/initiatives/innovation-for-health-impact/innovation-challenge/seoul-50-plus-foundation
• https://english.seoul.go.kr/policy/welfare-health-security-ord/support-for-future-50generation-new-driving-force-for-growth/

Elderly and people with disabilities living at home.

In 2023, the “Mir na ladoni” project reported 100% satisfaction with home-based social services and 95% improved psychological well-being, enhancing emotional health, cognitive engagement, and social inclusion for elderly and disabled participants.

The project was developed and implemented by the “Bereh Nadezhdy” Social Service Center in the Mendeleevsky municipal district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. It was designed to run over a two-month period, including preparation and execution phases. The team created individualized cultural and educational experiences that could be delivered in-home, enabling participants to engage meaningfully without leaving their residences. Collaboration with local museums and libraries allowed for remote cultural excursions, while emotional support and social interaction were embedded in the activities. The program effectively combined virtual tourism with therapeutic engagement, making it especially effective for individuals with limited mobility or chronic isolation.

This initiative qualifies as a good practice for its adaptability, impact, and innovation. With a flexible budget, it can be easily replicated in similar contexts. By integrating cultural institutions into social services, it ensures sustainability and efficient use of resources. Most importantly, it delivers tangible psychological and social benefits—supporting mental health, reducing loneliness, and fostering connection—creatively blending emotional therapy with cultural exploration.

The primary beneficiaries were older adults (60+) and persons with disabilities, particularly recipients of social services and residents of social care institutions and residential homes. Secondary beneficiaries included students and young people from schools, colleges, and universities who participated as volunteers or audience members. Additional beneficiaries were citizens interested in creative volunteering, who gained opportunities to contribute to socially meaningful cultural projects. Finally, the wider community benefited as audiences, gaining access to inclusive cultural events and intergenerational dialogue fostered through performances.

Participation in the social theatre increased by 57%, and 55 people became part of the silver volunteer creative team. The theatre collective produced 10 full performances, which were attended by around 5,000 people from the target audience. Participants reported improved psycho‑emotional well‑being, renewed social roles, and opportunities for self‑realization. The practice also contributed to broader socio‑cultural rehabilitation of both participants and older audiences, reinforcing social inclusion and active longevity.

The practice was developed through a structured, year‑long process that combined preparation, training, and staged implementation. It integrates professional cultural expertise (students and graduates of a cultural college) with social work and volunteer engagement. Older adults and persons with disabilities were gradually involved in theatrical activities, supported by mentors and volunteers. Emphasis was placed on silver volunteering, creative collaboration, and inclusive participation. The approach intentionally blends artistic methods with social rehabilitation goals, creating safe and motivating conditions for sustained engagement. The model was designed to be replicable, with clear stages and guidance allowing other regions to either join the existing project or create analogous initiatives.

It combines measurable social impact, low implementation costs, and high replicability. It effectively uses theatre as a rehabilitation tool, achieving strong engagement and emotional outcomes. The model promotes active ageing, silver volunteering, and inclusion rather than passive care. Its success is evidenced by high participation rates, audience reach, and regional transfer. By integrating culture, social services, and volunteering, the practice creates sustainable social value and a dignified, empowering environment for older adults and people with disabilities.

• https://smarteka.com/practices/teatr-na-ladoni-tehnologia-reabilitacii-ludej-starsego-vozrasta-i-invalidov 

Older people who are able to provide support to others and want to receive support in later life are primarily targeted. People of all ages are also encouraged to participate.

Some senior participants reported that activities and support for the elderly have enhanced the sense of community and provided an additional family over the years. Furthermore, the city of Nanjing has over 60,000 volunteers registered with its programme as of 2023.

The system was initially launched in various cities across China starting from the late 1990s. Unlike similar initiatives in Japan, which are led by civil society organisations (CSOs), the time banking system in China is currently more government-led. Recognising its potential to promote the dignity of older adults and mitigate care shortages, the Ministry of Civil Affairs included time banks in its 2018 National Pilot Reform Programme for Home- and Community-based Eldercare.

This programme encourages older adults to participate in the community, stay active, and secure support for themselves in later life by supporting others. It reduces social isolation and strengthens social cohesion.

Over 24 journalists from national print and digital media in Kazakhstan, representatives from the Ministry of Information and Social Development, and NGOs working on older persons’ welfare.

The initiative enhanced journalists’ capacity to portray older persons positively and from a rights-based perspective. Participants reported gaining valuable insights into changing global attitudes on ageing and recognized media’s role as a driver of social change.

Organized by UNFPA with funding from the CISPop programme, it was delivered as a two-day webinar facilitated by an ageing policy expert. Training covered media portrayals of older people, findings from a 2020 survey on socio-economic needs, and principles of active and healthy ageing applied in Kazakhstan.

It combines data and media capacity-building, enabling journalists to challenge ageist stereotypes and foster inclusive narratives on ageing.

Older persons in Malaysia

The introduction of the older person Card has made public transportation more affordable and accessible for older persons, reducing their travel costs and encourageing mobility. It has helped seniors remain active and independent by facilitating easier access to healthcare, social activities, and essential services.

Implementation involved creating a concession fare system linked to the older person card, which can be purchased for a nominal annual fee. The discount is applied automatically when seniors use the card to buy tickets at counters or vending machines.

This practice promotes affordability and accessibility for older persons, enabling them to maintain independence and social engagement.

All employees in Singapore, particularly caregivers, women workers, and older employees—enabling them to formally request flexible work arrangements to balance caregiving and work responsibilities.

The guidelines formalise flexible work as standard practice: employers must put in place a clear process for formal FWA requests, provide written decisions with stated reasons, and assess each request on legitimate business considerations—while discouraging rejections based on mere supervisor preference or distrust—thereby improving transparency, fairness and workplace trust.

Developed through a Tripartite Workgroup (involving government, employers, and unions), the guidelines were crafted via stakeholder consultations, aiming to embed formal mechanisms supportive of flexible work. They were rolled out as mandatory employer practices addressing procedural clarity and decision transparency.

It institutionalizes flexible work as a norm, embedding fair, transparent procedures and two-way accountability, while empowering employees—especially caregivers—to remain in the workforce through performance-based flexibility.

• https://www.seyfarth.com/news-insights/flexible-working-in-singapore-implementation-of-the-tripartite-guidelines-on-flexible-work-arrangement-requests-and-what-this-means-for-employers-and-employees.html

The plan specifically targeted older persons, particularly those with physical, mental, social, or economic vulnerabilities, aiming to improve access to tailored healthcare and promote active, dignified aging.

The programme supported comprehensive geriatric assessment and long-term care planning, which helped improve functional status and quality of life, while reducing mortality and nursing home placements.

It was developed by Turkey’s Ministry of Health, alongside its Public Health Institution and Department of Chronic Diseases, Elderly Health and Disabled People, in collaboration with universities, NGOs and international frameworks (WHO Europe’s 2012–2020 strategy and UN Decade of Healthy Ageing). Oversight was by the Health Ministry Undersecretary.

It’s a good practice due to its integrated, evidence-based, multi-stakeholder approach—aligning international frameworks with national implementation, improving functional outcomes, and reducing institutionalization in older adults.