This paper, using the nationally representative data for older people in Vietnam, namely Vietnam Aging Survey (VNAS) in 2011, was aimed at exploring the current working status of older men and women who were at the ages beyond their respective normal retirement age (i.e., 60 for men and 55 for women) and then estimating how their chronic health conditions influenced on their decision to work. We found that there were significant differences in working rates between various groups of older men and women in terms of age group, living area, marital status, and educational level. The results from logistic models indicated that older persons with at least one chronic health condition had a significant lower probability of participating in the labour workforce than those without chronic health condition. In addition to health conditions, other factors (such as age, living area, and educational level) also implied that more vulnerable and poor older people had higher probabilities (i.e., more advanced ages, living in rural areas, and low educational levels) to work than did their counterparts. These groups of older people must work due to limited access to income security schemes, and thus there would be a great demand for policies supporting these groups of older people.

Locked doors and secure units are often used as a solution in long-term residential care (LTRC) for residents with moderate to severe dementia who are at risk for wandering and potentially harming themselves or others. This practice creates important quality of life implications for residents as well as for employees. In this paper we explore broader assumptions, connotations and possibilities of LTRC built environments by comparing and contrasting the use of and philosophies regarding the locking of doors and entire units in facilities that maintain this practice to those that have open doors, open units and other accessible physical spaces. This sub-study is part of a larger international, interdisciplinary study that uses rapid site-switching ethnography within a feminist political economy framework to investigate promising practices in LTRC. Field observations and interviews with management, health providers, support staff, informal care providers, union representatives, residents and family members were conducted in 27 sites, 10 of which we elected to include for the purpose of this paper, located in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia (BC), Canada, as well as Norway, Germany and the United Kingdom (UK). Locked doors and units, and inaccessible physical spaces affect the balance between “home” and “institution” in LTRC facilities in numerous ways including privacy, mobility and autonomy of residents, the ability to remain socially connected within the home, possibilities of integration with the larger community and overall quality of life and care.

Social skills contribute to harmonious interactions and, therefore, are critical to the health and quality of life. Considering its recognized association with sociodemographic variables, it is important to assess this repertoire in different age groups. This study aimed at verifying a possible association between social skills in elderly and variables as age, years of education, income, gender, civil state and depressive symptoms. The participants in the study were 134 elderly aged 60 years or older, recruited from 17 community groups of elderly from Porto Alegre and its metropolitan area. The instruments used were: Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Sociodemographic Data Sheet, the Brazil Economic Classification Criterion, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and the Social Skills Inventory for the Elderly SSIE-Del-Prette). Results indicated a negative association between depressive symptoms and the Social skills Overall Score, being appointed as its stronger predictor. Variables as years of education, socioeconomic status and depressive symptoms had greater influence on the Social skills Overall Score, as well as on the factors of Conversation and Social Resourcefulness and the Affective-Sexual Approach. Gender proved to be the most associated predictor to Affective-Sexual Approach. These results indicated a protective effect of social skills on health aspects of the elderly.

Despite being one of the fastest aging countries in the world, Vietnam lacks systemic and comprehensive policies and programs to manage the physical and mental health needs of its elderly population. In this paper, I will review the formal, biomedical system for mental health care and present preliminary results of an ethnographic study on formal mental health services provided through Buddhist temples. Results of the study show that while Vietnamese formal mental health system is under-developed, Buddhist temples serve effectively as a source of help to Vietnamese elderly with mental health problems. In that light, Vietnam should incorporate Buddhist concepts of existence—most importantly, the concept of mindful aging—into its developing system of elder care.

In urban China, a new model of care for the elderly has emerged which involves the government purchasing community services from professional social work agencies. This paper documents this new development and considers the impacts of community-based service provision for the elderly.

Populations are expected to age rapidly in the Arab countries during the coming few decades. However, the current evidence base indicates that many countries in the region are not paying attention to this demographic phenomenon. This is a particular concern as longevity is often accompanied by many years of ill health and disability and most of the countries in the region continue to rely on the family as the primary source of elder care. While the family, and particularly women, are expected to provide increasing support for longer, they are faced by a set of socio-demographic changes that may hinder their ability to provide such care. This paper focuses on the ageing demographics in the Arab region and reflects on the multiple-roles for women by utilising quantitative analysis of international population and socio-economic indicators as well as reviewing the background literature and current ageing policies in the region. The paper then discusses possible strategies to address increasing long-term care needs through a social capital lens, where support to informal carers particularly women is emphasised.

Older adults are now the fastest growing population of online users the world over (Olson et al. Ageing International, 36(1), 123–145, 2011). Encouraging data continues to emerge regarding the rate of Internet adoption among those over fifty in particular (Hernandez-Encuentra et al. Educational Gerontology, 35(3), 226–245, 2009). Yet questions as to the effectiveness of such use and of training designed to advance the skills of our senior surfers continue to go unanswered. While a great deal has been written on seniors and technology in general, very few studies “regarding age and its influence on search behaviour” can be found (Singer et al. 2012). This paper uses Literature Review as a method to scope and define this gap. The need for future research that specifically addresses online searching behaviours and effective training in this area for those over fifty is discussed.

Using data from a nationally representative sample of older Chinese adults, we aimed to explore the factors associated with functional limitations. We used a national sample of people aged 60 years or older collected as part of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) survey. Functional limitations, including physical functions, basic activities of daily living (BADLs), and instrumental ADL (IADLs) were evaluated using a functional limitation scale. The 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to evaluate the presence of depressive symptoms. Compared with healthy controls, adults with functional limitations tended to be older; to be female; to have less education; to reside in rural areas; to be widowed; to have fewer earnings in the previous year; to have less coverage in medical insurance; and to have a greater number of comorbid chronic medical conditions, perceived pain, and depression (P < 0.05). Age was the only demographic risk factor for functional limitations (odds ratios [ORs] ranging from 1.05 to 1.10, P < 0.05). The presence of multiple chronic physical diseases (ORs ranging from 2.72 to 4.15, P < 0.05), perceived pain (ORs ranging from 2.49 to 3.26, P < 0.05), and depression (ORs ranging from 3.42 to 4.06, P < 0.05) consistently influenced physical, basic, and instrumental daily activities. When adjusted for socio-demographic factors, the associations among physical health status, pain, depression, and functional decline remained significant. In addition to age, multi-comorbidity involving chronic medical conditions, pain, and depression was associated with functional limitations among older Chinese adults.

The World Health Organization (WHO) concept of an Age-Friendly Community (AFC) has emerged as a response to demographic aging and increased urbanization. Although the WHO is in the process of establishing indicators of age-friendliness, currently, no tool has been identified as optimal to measure the age-friendliness of a community on a large scale. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and examine currently available surveys and questionnaires that can be used to conduct large-scale, quantitative assessments of the age-friendliness in a community. In addition to a literature review, assessment tools were gathered through personal communications. Results indicate that 25 identified assessment tools vary greatly in terms of topics covered, total and number of questions per domain, rigor and availability. We present the strengths and weaknesses of available tools, and determine their suitability for age-friendly assessments. Only one tool, the Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA), was sufficiently comprehensive to be considered for modification and use in baseline assessment of the age-friendly features of a community.

In Nigeria, government attitude towards elderly care has been quite indifferent since independence. This is informed by the notion that, the population aging in Nigeria is minimal in terms of the total composition; and that traditionally, the children would always take care of their aged parents. However the family and community base informal social supports, upon which this notion is partly based, have waned in recent years under the yoke of excruciating socioeconomic conditions. More so, recent survey reports and demographic projections point to an unprepared reality, of the increasing nature of both the absolute and proportional numbers of the elderly population in Nigeria. This article therefore discusses the challenges of the elderly Nigerians, under such conditions, and the need for a change in government policy attitude to aging issues in Nigeria. It suggests that government should be proactive in addressing the potential upsurge in population aging now, through the borrowing of ideas which are relevant to our peculiar circumstances; and the blending of the formal and informal mechanisms for assisting the senior citizens in the attainment of graceful aging.