Vietnam's growing elderly population, coupled with a shortage of geriatric specialists and long-term care services, presents a significant challenge that requires increased investment in training and improvements in healthcare services for the elderly, experts highlighted.
This issue was a central focus at the fifth National Geriatric Conference organized by the Vietnam Association of Gerontology and the National Geriatric Hospital last week.
At the conference, experts discussed policies for building and advancing the geriatric care system, exploring new approaches in diagnosing, treating, and caring for the elderly. They also shared information on creating a standardized geriatric training framework for doctors, fostering young talent in the field, and promoting a comprehensive approach to elderly care with the involvement of social workers and geriatric nurses.
Associate Professor-Dr. Nguyen Trung Anh, director of the National Geriatric Hospital, emphasized the importance of actively training healthcare workers in geriatrics, including doctors, nurses, technicians, and social workers for elderly care. He called for the nation’s major medical universities to standardize the geriatric training curriculum.
He also stressed the need for policies supporting the training of geriatric healthcare professionals and expanding the scope of specialized geriatric services nationwide. Additionally, some regulations must be revised to better meet the practical demands of medical care for the elderly.
Vietnam, one of the 10 fastest-aging countries in the world, could see its elderly population reach 16.8% by 2029.
(Suc Khoe Doi Song [1], www.moh.gov.vn [2], VnExpress [3], baobacgiang.vn [4], Dau Tu [5], VnExpress 1 [3], Dan Tri [6])