ASEAN member states agree the importance of caring the elderly

ASEAN member states agree the importance of caring the elderly
Source; The Brunei Times
As the seventh ASEAN Ministerial Meeting for Social Welfare and Development finished last weekend, member states agreed the welfare of senior citizens continued to be one of the main issues and concerns needing to be addressed.

In a significant move, the "Brunei Darussalam Declaration on Strengthening the Family Institutions: Caring for the Elderly People" was adopted by both the Seventh Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial meeting for Social Welfare and Development (7th AMMSWD) and third AMMSWD + 3 (Japan, Korea and China) member countries.


After two days of meetings, states agreed to take concerted efforts to promote the quality of life and well-being of the elderly, as well as to reduce the social risks faced by a generation of people who have contributed to the development of the region. They recognized the ageing population was a growing trend in the south-east Asian region, and exchanged views on strengthening the family institution to provide care for the elderly.

Ministers from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan and Korea attended and unanimously acknowledged it was the responsibility of governments to look after the elderly population by introducing financial and medical assistance schemes.

Brunei's Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah highlighted the common acknowledgement of the growth of the ageing population in member countries and the world and said the declaration's issuance was "very concrete and significant for the enhancement of the social development as well as welfare".

However, Pehin Dato Hj Hazair said filial piety was still an important value to possess, adding it was the responsibility of family members to look after their elderly.

"This has also been strongly supported by the Plus Three member countries, where we have recognized the importance of efforts to instill and to create greater awareness among the younger generation of their filial responsibility to their elderly."
Some of the items adopted in the declaration include to promote quality health care, support and social protection for the elderly, including preventive and rehabilitative health care, achieve secure, active and healthy ageing by reducing the incidence of poverty among the elderly and promote the awareness and ability of the younger generation to live a healthy lifestyle.

The countries were requested to begin measures to implement their commitment to elderly people, including providing more resources and annual reviews. They will also look into developing a social support system and encourage the development of education programs that enhance the ability of families and to care for the elderly while providing appropriate care and support.

The declaration will see countries working towards promoting quality of life for the elderly by creating conditions that will enhance their self-reliance and ability to remain economically active and achieve secure, active and healthy ageing by reducing the incidence of poverty among the elderly.

To further enhance their quality of life in terms of health, each ASEAN member government will continue to promote quality health care, support and social protection for the elderly including preventive and rehabilitative health care and provide support for capacity building for primary health providers, social workers, caregivers and volunteers in delivering care for the elderly.

Also recognized were the social impacts of the growing trend of ageing populations, as life expectancies rise steadily and the need to address the challenges in providing adequate care and support for the elderly becomes more important.

"The care of the elderly is an ongoing thing, and there will be no final stage in overcoming the problem, as there are always new things that need to be introduced. Through these meetings we can share all the best practices and experiences of other countries in how we can further enhance and improve the standard of care for the elderly in our respective countries," said Pehin Dato Hj Hazair.
-----About Community Alliance-----
Founded in 2006, Community Alliance is a Chinese independent not-for-profit public interest organization, which aims to create a more enabling environment for the elderly in China. We strive to ensure social justice and welfare for the elderly, one of the most disadvantaged and forgotten communities in China. We help to prevent elder abuse and safeguard the rights, dignity and independence of older Chinese citizens as part of the struggle for legal rights and social progress in China. www.communityalliance.org.cn