- The Asia and Pacific region is aging rapidly, and will be home to around 1.3 billion people aged 60 and older by 2050.
- In Mongolia, the proportion of older people in the population is expected to increase to 16.7% in 2040 from only 6.7% in 2020.
- Mongolia is envisaging comprehensive health care support & employment for its older population. This requires collaboration among govt, private sector, NGOs & communities.
By 2050, the Asia and the Pacific region will be home to around 1.3 billion people aged 60 and older. In Mongolia, the proportion of older people in the country's population is rapidly increasing. From around 6.7% of the population in 2020, it is expected to rise to 16.7% by 2040. The government is encouraging expansion of care and support services to address the demographic shift but is facing challenges related to coordination, accessibility, affordability, and quality of services. Multisector collaboration among the government, private sector, and nongovernment organizations will be necessary to comprehensively adapt to the aging of its population.
Transcript
A rapid demographic transition is happening in the Asia and Pacific region.
By 2050, the region will be home to approximately 1.3 billion people aged 60 and older.
ADB has been investigating how countries are adapting to this transition, and developing long-term care (LTC) systems and services.
These videos capture promising examples of how governments and communities are working together to support older persons with care needs.
Caring for the Elderly: Evidence from Mongolia
The proportion of older people in the population is growing rapidly, from 6.7% in 2020 to an expected 16.7% by 2040.
The Government of Mongolia has been encouraging the expansion of care and support services for older people in Mongolia though challenges remain in intersectoral coordination and in the accessibility, affordability and quality of services.
Ya. Boloroo
Founder of Achlalt Huuhduud NGO
Care Center for Disabled and Elderly
In fact, Mongolia provides many essential services for its older population. Residential, day care, home care, and rehab services are all in place. The issue is, these are all scattered and unorganized due to a lack of an integrated system.
G. Adiya
Social Worker
Elderly Care Center
Murun, Khuvsgul province
It's hard. We are funded from the local budget. Our employees’ social protection issues are unattended. The budget covering expenses on meals and clothes per person in the care center is approved by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. This amount is way below today's market prices and doesn't cover our needs.
S. Tungalagtamir
Director
Population Development Department
Ministry of Labor and Social Protection
The Law on Social Welfare is currently under revision. Based on latest amendments, the government, alongside the private sector and civil society organizations, can provide paid care services to older persons.
Ya. Boloroo: It's more viable and financially efficient when the state partners with private organizations to provide care services.
G. Tumurbaatar
Chairman
Association of Elderly People
Khuvsgul Province
Social welfare and care services should be sustainable and long-term. Hence we've established 30 development centers for older persons in Khuvsgul province.
Elderly Development Center
Murun, Khuvsgul Province
Tungalagtamir: As for us, we are committed to expanding existing local community and development centers for older persons and supplemented by new types of services, especially in day care.
We are envisaging the long-term care for older persons to grow into large-scale comprehensive services in the future, including provision of health, care support, and employment services. This calls for a multisector collaboration and cooperation with the private sector and NGOs.
Therefore, a solid planning on how to ensure an effective intersectoral coordination and communication mechanisms are required.
Elderly Development Center
Murun, Khuvsgul Province
National Gerontology Center
Ulaanbaatar
This video is part of a series capturing examples of how countries in Asia and the pacific are adapting to the aging of their populations.
It has been produced under the regional technical assistance “Developing Innovative Community-Based Long-Term Care Systems and Services”
