Total: 405 good practice(s). Download
The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders (注文をまちがえる料理店) is a pop‑up restaurant where servers are people living with dementia or other cognitive conditions. Guests are informed in advance that they may receive a dish different from what they ordered—and that this is entirely intentional. Instead of correcting or hiding mistakes, the restaurant reframes them as a natural part of being human.
People living with dementia and wider society as a change of perceptions benefits all.
The project led to increased confidence and feeling of acceptance among people living with dementia and promoted meaningful interaction and social engagement.
The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders was developed through an experience‑led social innovation process, originating from personal caregiving experience of the founder, a Japanese television director. It was designed as a pop‑up, participatory space that normalizes mistakes to promote dignity and social inclusion for people living with dementia.
It is an innovative way to change attitudes and perceptions.
Restaurant of Mistaken Orders Brings Smiles / The Government of Japan - JapanGov -
The Reverse Mortgage programme offered by Thailand’s Government Housing Bank (GHB) is a financial initiative designed to support income security for older persons by allowing them to convert housing assets into regular cash flow.
Under this scheme, Thai homeowners aged 60–80 can use their fully owned, debt-free property as collateral to access a loan, which the bank pays out in monthly instalments to cover daily living expenses. Unlike conventional loans, repayment is typically deferred, and beneficiaries are not required to demonstrate a minimum income, making the programme accessible to retirees.
The initiative provides flexible loan terms (6 months to 25 years) and up to 10 million baht per borrower, helping older persons maintain financial independence while continuing to live in their homes.
Older Thai home owners between 60 and 80 years of age
According to studies, the use of the reverse mortgage scheme is still low, mainly because of lack of awareness and many older persons want to leave their home as inheritance.
The initiative began in mid‑2019, as part of Thailand’s policy response to population ageing and the need for new financial tools to support older persons’ income security.
The reverse mortgage initiative by Thailand’s Government Housing Bank is a promising but still emerging good practice. It addresses income insecurity among older persons by enabling them to convert housing assets into monthly payments while ageing in place, promoting financial independence and dignity. However, its impact remains limited due to very low uptake. While the programme demonstrates strong innovation and policy relevance in an ageing society, further outreach, design improvements and supportive measures are needed to scale up use and achieve meaningful impact on older persons’ wellbeing.
@RM-Final-Report.pdf
The Constitution of Timor-Leste specifically guarantees the right to social protection by the State to all older citizens of Timor-Leste. Policies have to provide older persons with "opportunities for personal achievement" (Article 20). Further, Article 56 guarantees the right to social protection; Article 56 guarantees the right to health.
All citizens of Timor-Leste who are guaranteed constitutional rights
The old-age allowance is based on the constitutional right to social protection in the constitution of Timor-Leste.
Decree on living allowances for the elderly and persons with disabilities
It takes a rights-based approach.
The "Rights-Based Guide for Older Persons" ("Yaşlılar İçin Hak Temelli Rehber") was published by the Turkish Human Rights and Equality Institution (TİHEK) . The guide sets out seven core rights of particular relevance to older persons: protection from discrimination, the right to the highest attainable physical and mental health, freedom from physical/mental abuse with dignity and security, the right to independent living with needed support, access to education and lifelong learning, the right to privacy, and equal access to digital services. It maps these rights against Türkiye's legal framework , including constitutional provisions (Articles 10 and 61), the Social Services Law (No. 2828), the Municipality Law (No. 5393), and the national Ageing Vision Document, alongside international instruments such as Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.
Government, NGOs, public and private organizations.
The guide laid a foundation to make functional changes to existing governance systems and mechanisms to equip older persons, families, civil society organizations, and public institutions with clear understanding of elder rights and mechanisms to integrate them.
TİHEK developed the guide in 2025 by synthesizing existing national legislation (Constitution, Social Services Law, Municipality Law, Ageing Vision Document) and international frameworks (UN Principles for Older Persons, European Social Charter, Madrid Plan, EU Green Paper on Ageing) into a single accessible reference document, drawing on sources such as WHO, UNECE, and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights.
It is a good practice because it contextualizes international human-rights principles (UN Principles, MIPAA) into a single, practice-oriented tool that older persons and policymakers can use to address the challenges. The method of operationalisation of the international frameworks, presented in this guide, can be adapted to other national contexts with proper integration of national laws.
A programme aimed at enhancing transport infrastructure accessibility for individuals with limited mobility, including older adults. Key measures included adapting transport facilities, services, and infrastructure to make them accessible for people with disabilities and other groups with limited mobility, including older persons. This included public transportation vehicles, railway stations, and social infrastructure, as well as legal reforms.
Individuals with limited mobility, including older adults.
The roadmap was developed as part of Kazakhstan's alignment with the National Plan for the Rights and Quality of Life of People with Disabilities. Implementation followed a phased, data-driven approach, involving nationwide identification of relevant infrastructure objects, gradual adaptation and compliance checks, annual monitoring cycles, use of digital tools an coordination between national ministries and local authorities.
This policy combines clear targets, systematic monitoring, and public accountability mechanisms. The use of an interactive map and feedback portal promotes transparency and citizen participation, while the scale of coverage (22,000 objects nationwide) ensures both urban and rural inclusion. Alignment with national disability rights frameworks and integration of legal reforms further strengthens sustainability and enforcement.
Road Map on Transport Infrastructure Accessibility for People with Limited Mobility | Ageing Policies Database - UNECE
Plan 4170/KH‑BVHTTDL sets out the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s roadmap for implementing Viet Nam’s National Strategy on Older Persons, with a focus on promoting active ageing, cultural participation, and social inclusion. The plan aims to harness the knowledge, experience, and contributions of older persons in culture, family life, sports, and tourism, while improving their material and spiritual well‑being, particularly for vulnerable groups such as older persons with disabilities, those living in poverty, ethnic minorities, and those without caregivers. Key measures include strengthening communication and awareness‑raising on ageing, supporting older persons’ participation in cultural and artistic activities, reading and heritage preservation, expanding age‑appropriate physical activity and sports, and promoting age‑friendly tourism. The plan also emphasizes preventing violence and abuse through community‑based models—such as Intergenerational Self‑Help Clubs, family happiness clubs, and trusted community support points—and reinforcing the role of older persons in transmitting family values and cultural traditions. Implementation is assigned across MCST departments with requirements for coordination, efficiency, regular monitoring, and adaptation to local contexts, reinforcing the shift from a welfare‑based to an active‑ageing and development‑oriented approach to population ageing in Viet Nam.
The beneficiaries are older persons in Viet Nam.
Plan 4170/KH‑BVHTTDL (2025) was developed as an implementation plan following the formal adoption of Viet Nam’s National Strategy on Older Persons to 2035, with a vision to 2045, which was approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 383/QĐ‑TTg on 21 February 2025. The plan translates the national‑level strategy into sector‑specific actions for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), in accordance with Viet Nam’s policy‑making and planning system.
The plan is a clear sectoral plan to implement the wider National Policy on Ageing. It also includes Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs, thus giving ownership to older persons and promoting intergenerational initiatives.
Plan issued to implement national strategy for the elderly
Older persons were both victims of as well as actors in emergency response during the 2022 floods in Pakistan. OPAs were instrumental in locating and supporting vulnerable older people in submerged areas of Sindh and Balochistan. With the support of OPAs, older persons received age-sensitive aid such as food, hygiene kits, cash, wheelchairs, and psychosocial support after the floods. In Khairpur, mobile teams distributed essential supplies and provided health screenings and rehabilitation devices to older individuals trapped by floodwaters.
Older persons affected by disasters
Support to approximately 8,000 older people during floods
Following the floods in 2010, HelpAge International began forming OPAs in rural communities. As OPAs had already been in place, they were able to provide support in 2022.
Use of grassroot organizations and making older persons actors and not only recipients of support.
FAID – Foundation for Ageing and Inclusive Development
The Safer Environment for Seniors Programme, implemented by the Singaporean Housing and Development Board, aims to incorporate universal design principles in public housing, namely ample seating, to make make them age- and user-friendly for older and disabled persons. This programme additionally involves intergenerational play spaces, namely three-generation fitness and play facilities, for families to enjoy together.
Primarily seniors (aged 60/65+) in HDB flats; EASE 2.0 expanded to include public rental housing (about 26,800 more seniors). Additionally, from 2026, eligible private property households with seniors (70,000+ households) will benefit under EASE (Private).
By April 2024, approximately 293,000 households had installed senior‑friendly fittings since 2012, improving mobility and safety within the flat.
Built as part of the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) since 2012, featuring heavy government subsidy (up to 95%), resident opt‑in via HIP polling; EASE 2.0 added new fittings (foldable grab bars, lowered kerbs, bidet sprays, HFAD) from April 2024. Implementation combines flat‑level upgrades and precinct‑level enhancements like neighbourhood improvements and assisted‑living facilities.
It integrates aging-friendly design into existing housing programmes with strong subsidy and resident participation, delivering tangible safety and mobility improvements for seniors while scaling across public and private housing.
Naju City found that 2 in 10 older persons in the Republic of Korea had experienced an injury from falling over. This can lead to injury-related deaths of elderly people and overall lower quality of life due to pain or disability. This initiative aims to combat this issue by implementing hand rails at the many different senior centers around the city. This initiative is a core component of the Age-Friendly Strategic Plan that began in 2019.
Older persons at risk of falls
Over 1900 hand rails have been installed around Naju City, across 610 senior centers since 2020 when the initiative began.
Developed as a result of the Survey of Living Conditions (2019), which found that 20% of Naju city's seniors had suffered a fall that led to injury. The city created this plan as a result of consultations with local senior citizens.
Responds directly to an issue identified in the community and has a direcl positive impact on its citizens. This initiative increases accessibility to social spaces such as the senior centers, having a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
The Sehat Sahulat Programme (SSP) is Pakistan’s flagship social health protection initiative, designed to provide free inpatient healthcare particularly to poor and vulnerable citizens, of them most are older persons, by using a national health insurance model. It represents one of the country’s largest steps toward Universal Health Coverage. It was begun as a pilot initiative covering a few districts. Initially, it strictly targeted vulnerable populations but is subsequently expanded towards universal coverage.
Originally, poor and vulnerable populations with envisaged expansion to a universal scheme.
The programme expanded access to health care.
It was initiated as a pilot project in some districts covering only vulnerable populations and subsequently expanded to other population groups and other areas of Pakistan.
(PDF) Impact of Sehat Sahulat Program on Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditures in Pakistan
