Total: 405 good practice(s). Download
Councils of Older Persons are participatory bodies operating within Türkiye's city council system. They provide a mechanism through which older persons can express their needs, discuss urban issues, contribute to local planning processes and participate in decisions affecting their lives. According to the Government of Türkiye in its response to the survey for the Fourth Asia-Pacific Review and Appraisal of MIPAA (question 3.1.4. and 6), councils address topics such as healthy living, intergenerational relations, environment, culture and art, and sustainable and accessible cities. The initiative promotes active ageing, social inclusion and civic engagement while strengthening dialogue between older persons, local authorities and community stakeholders. The councils support the broader objective of ensuring that older persons have a voice in local governance.
The 2021 MIPAA Survey identifies councils of older persons as the country's most significant local-level mechanism for older persons' participation in decision-making. Through these councils, older persons discuss urban issues, raise community concerns and contribute to planning and policy discussions. The survey notes that councils operate through thematic groups including healthy life, intergenerational relations, environment, sustainable and accessible cities, culture and art.
The example from Muratpaşa Municipality shows how the model has been operationalized locally. The municipality's Elderly Council, established in 2019, involved 60 volunteer members (30 women and 30 men) and created seven subcommittees on areas including older persons' rights, healthy ageing, accessibility and intergenerational relations. The municipality reported that participants valued the opportunity to express their views and contribute to community development.
The practice emerged from Türkiye's efforts to strengthen local governance and citizen participation through city councils. Under this framework, councils of older persons were established to ensure that older residents could participate in discussions on local development and community needs. Municipalities facilitate the councils, while older persons engage through thematic working groups addressing issues such as accessibility, healthy ageing, intergenerational relations, environment and culture. The approach is supported by national ageing policies that emphasize participation and inclusion of older persons in decision-making processes at local level.
The practice provides a structured mechanism for older persons to participate in decision-making and contribute their experience to community development. It advances active ageing by promoting civic engagement, social inclusion and dialogue between generations. Through thematic working groups, councils help ensure that local planning considers the perspectives of older persons on accessibility, health, culture and urban environments. The approach is embedded within existing municipal governance structures, making it replicable and sustainable while supporting the principles of participation and inclusion emphasized in the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.
Türkiye, Voluntary National Survey on the Implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) in Asia and the Pacific, 2021, Questions 3.1.4 and 6.
UNECE, National Report of Türkiye: Fourth Cycle of MIPAA/RIS Implementation (2018-2022)
Launched in 2025, the Maldives Pension Office’s CSR Grant Program supports projects that strengthen community resilience and channel resources to different age groups in ways that enhance overall well-being. By funding initiatives such as elderly care and active aging, digital and financial literacy for youth and workers, women’s empowerment, and community resilience programs, the program enables young people to build essential skills while creating opportunities for older persons to remain active contributors to society.
Older persons, youth and women
The programme is in its initial stage, with agreements signed with the winners of the grant program. Results can be measured at the end of year.
The initiative was developed internally and publicly announced to invite proposals under the broader theme of “Building Resilient and Inclusive Communities”.
This programme was designed to deliver in partnership with community based organizations, supports all age groups, promotes social cohesion, and empowers individuals to contribute meaningfully to society. By funding initiatives like youth skills development, women’s empowerment, and active aging, it creates lasting benefits for community well-being and gives agency and ownership to communities.
The Customized Care Service, implemented by the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, focuses on advancing customised social services. As part of the Workplan for 2023, there is a renewed focus on advancing customized social services, exapnding to target to the middle class as well as the vulnerable and provide high-quality services; strengthen customized services such as the establishment of a government-wide strategy for a “sustainable Korean-style welfare state,” the application for welfare benefits at private institutions (hospitals, welfare centers, etc.) through the social security system, and the advancement of welfare memberships; expand customized care services for the elderly and promote smart care such as IoT-based emergency safety and security services.
The service benefits approximately 450,000 seniors in 2020—up from 350,000 in 2019—targeting vulnerable individuals aged 65 or older.
The programme enables tailored combinations of safety checks, daily-living support, and social engagement, matching individual needs. Increased “self‑care awareness” among users correlates strongly with higher life satisfaction. Additionally, reduced depression and better subjective health further boost life satisfaction.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare consolidated six fragmented elderly-care services into a unified, needs-based model. Local agencies conduct needs assessments and jointly plan personalized services, delivered via home visits, phone, community programs, or ICT-enabled check-ins.
This model transitions from one-size-fits-all to person-centered care by integrating multiple services and addressing varied needs through tailored delivery, improving satisfaction, autonomy, and well-being.
Darul Ilmi is a special Islamic education center established to provide lifelong learning opportunities for older persons in Malaysia. It adopts the concept of a modern Islamic pondok (cottage) study system, offering accommodation and a conducive learning environment for older persons who wish to deepen their knowledge of Islam. The center was created through a waqf donation and operates under the authority of the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP).
Older Muslim men and women in Malaysia
The initiative has enabled many older persons to engage in lifelong learning, strengthen their religious understanding, and maintain an active and purposeful lifestyle. It has created a community of seniors who are knowledgeable in Islamic teachings and capable of sharing their knowledge with others, thereby fostering social and spiritual well-being.
The programme originated from religious donation (waqf) of a 1.7-acre property, including two bungalows and orchard land, by Tuan Haji Ir Mohd Mazlan bin Md Ismail in 2010. MAIWP developed the concept and officially launched the center in 2011, later renaming it Darul Ilmi. Recruitment is conducted annually through announcements on social media, mosques, and the MAIWP website. The center provides accommodation and modern facilities to support the Islamic pondok learning approach.
Darul Ilmi promotes lifelong learning and spiritual enrichment for older persons, addressing their intellectual and social needs. It combines traditional Islamic education with modern facilities, ensuring accessibility and comfort for seniors. The initiative reflects sustainability through waqf-based funding and serves as a model for integrating religious education into senior living.
Survey dedicated to intergenerational relationships
The main beneficiaries are policymakers and other data users.
The research highlights a gradual shift from extended, multigenerational households toward more nuclear and egalitarian family models. Marriage and parenthood are occurring later, fertility rates are declining, and tolerance toward divorce is increasing. At the same time, traditional norms remain influential, creating a blend of conservative and liberal attitudes within families.
The report also notes changing gender roles, including greater paternal involvement in childrearing, although women still bear most domestic responsibilities. Language use in families is evolving, with bilingualism (Kazakh and Russian) becoming more common, especially in urban areas.
The survey was implemented as a mixed-methods sociological study combining a nationwide public opinion survey with qualitative interviews. In practice, this involved administering a structured questionnaire to a sample of respondents across multiple regions of Kazakhstan to capture representative views on intergenerational relations, alongside in-depth interviews with individuals living in multi-generational households to explore attitudes and experiences in more detail.
This report could support future governmental and non-governmental activities on identifying better strategies of incorporating both younger and older generations, thus forming more coherent and unified social structure.
A decree aiming to improve the quality of life for terminally ill patients by providing comprehensive palliative care, addressing pain management, psychological support, and social services.
People who are terminally ill
The Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan drafted and approved the standard via ministerial decree. It updated clinical guidelines and organisational rules in national healthcare institutions. Implementation occurs through cooperation with regional health departments and medical facilities.
Decree of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On the Approval of the Standard for the Organization of Palliative Medical Care" | Ageing Policies Database - UNECE
The Decree on the Implementation of a Standard Model System of Long-term Care was developed to facilitate long-term care for older persons and persons with disabilities. The decree aims to develop and maintain the functional abilities of citizens, to provide citizens in need of outside care with support.
Older persons and persons with disabilities who require third‑party or long‑term care.
Regional reports indicate expanded access to services: for instance, as of mid‑2025, approximately 21,892 recipients received social‑household services and 5,728 received socio‑medical services under long‑term care frameworks.
The decree approved a standardized (model) long‑term care system, providing a template for regions to adapt. It was rolled out in selected federal subjects in 2021, encouraging regional adoption of both social‑household and social‑medical services for targeted groups.
It offers a standardized, scalable model enabling regions to adapt long-term care systems effectively, ensuring consistent and inclusive support for vulnerable populations across diverse areas.
The Decree on Older persons, implemented by the Lao PDR Government, outlines principles, regulations and measures for managing, moitoring and inspecting affairs related to older persons, with the aim to protect their righs and ensure effective care, livlihood and well-being. The decree emphasizes the contributions of older persons to national socio-economic development and details their rights and duties, covering areas such as care, health promotion, treatment rehabilitation, welfare, education, employment, culture, leisure and accessibility, as well as the establishment of older persons associations (OPAs).
all Lao citizens aged 60 and above, particularly emphasizing their right to care, well‑being, and participation, with a clear intent to include vulnerable seniors.
While the Decree itself is a legal framework (not an implemented programme), it establishes binding measures to safeguard older persons’ rights—such as guaranteed access to healthcare, priority in public services, social protection, inclusion in Older Persons’ Associations, as well as mandates for state, society, and family care responsibilities.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare led the development through legal revision efforts from 2019–2021, aligning with international aging frameworks like MIPAA and the Kuala Lumpur Declaration. The final Decree was institutionally embedded via formal issuance, with designated responsibilities across national, provincial, and local authorities for enforcement and oversight.
It is a rights-based, legally anchored approach that mainstreams elder care within governance structures. By clarifying responsibilities at all levels and affirming fundamental rights, it lays a robust foundation for systematic, inclusive support of ageing populations.
The innovative technology uses AR (augmented reality) to enable users to experience daily life with dementia. Common symptoms integrated into the experience include delayed pupillary light response, vision field defects, and decreased color sensitivity, based on pathology and medical workers’ experience with patients. This helps people understand the visual challenges that elderly individuals with dementia face in their daily lives. The application was validated by professional medical workers in Japan.
Mainly targeted for those who work in care sectors.
The care workers who tested this reported that experiencing challenges associated with dementia through AR increased their motivation and empathy for, and changed their attitudes toward, the elderly with dementia.
It was jointly developed by Keio University and the healthcare company MEDIVA. Different from VR technology, AR technology allows users to experience visual challenges in their own surroundings and daily life. During the technology's testing, participants are asked to perform a series of tasks, such as using the toilet, sitting down in a chair, reading letters, and identifying colors.
This innovative approach improves understanding of people with dementia, helps develop healthcare tailored to their needs, and creates an inclusive healthcare environment.
「認知症AR」がアジア健康長寿イノベーション賞 準グランプリ受賞｜医療コンサルティングのメディヴァ
The revised GB 50096‑2011 (“Design Code for Residential Buildings,” effective Aug 1, 2012) incorporates several provisions aimed at enhancing the living environment for persons with disabilities and older adults by embedding barrier-free design elements. The code emphasizes “people-oriented” design and specifically states that residential buildings must meet the needs of older persons and persons with disabilities.
Local authorities have a code to be able to enforce age-friendly housing standards. It also serves as a guide to architects to ensure universal design. Eventually older persons and persons with disabilities will benefit from accessible housing that facilitates ageing in place
The revised design code improved the quality of housing including better accessibility, ventilation and lightning.
Development of the code was led by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) Standards and Norms Research Institute, with China Architecture Design and Research Group and various architectural and academic institutions drafting revisions. The revision process spanned internal research, field investigations, international benchmarking, and multiple rounds of public and expert consultation.
