Ho Chi Minh City now counts about 1.57 million residents aged 60 or older – roughly 11 % of its population. Since 2017 the city entered the ageing phase and is expected to become an aged city by 2038, making senior care a pressing issue.

According to Dr. Huynh Minh Chin, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Health, the surge in elderly‑care demand is overwhelming the traditional family‑based model. Many seniors now live with chronic diseases, limited mobility, malnutrition, dementia or depression, which require continuous and coordinated assistance from hospitals, community health centres and families.

In 2025 the city launched a daytime care programme at the Hospital for Rehabilitation and Professional Diseases. As reported by the hospital’s Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Minh Hoang, the service now assists 40 older adults each day, providing medical check‑ups, rehabilitation exercises and organised social activities that aim to keep participants physically active and mentally engaged.

Following that pilot, similar daytime centres have opened in several wards, including Binh Tan. There, the centre offers regular health examinations, group exercise, chess and singing sessions. Local officials say participants experience greater joy and stronger social ties.

The long‑term vision is a five‑tier care network that connects families, community centres, home‑visit teams, residential nursing facilities and hospitals. This structure will integrate facilities, services, technology and financing so that seniors receive seamless physical, mental and social care throughout their lives.

If the network functions as planned, older residents will enjoy better health management and more opportunities for social interaction, while families and the broader community will feel less pressure from isolated caregiving. The initiative therefore represents a major step toward a more inclusive, supportive city for its ageing population.