A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Regional and Rural Development Planning

Research Studies Project Report (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2007

The increasing trend of the population aging is a common characteristic most of the countries in the world, and Vietnam is no exception. The vast majority of them will be found in the rural areas, in poor conditions, lack in healthcare services, and they had to face the poor living in their old-age. This study intended to examine the health and financial status of the elderly in rural areas as well as supports from the family, community and state, and their needs. The study was mainly focused on the elderly who were 60 years old and above and living in the rural areas of Long An province, Vietnam. It was found that the rural elderly who were in not good health condition had irregular annual medical check-up, and they frequently had suffered from disease or chronic diseases. The trend was the increasing illness with the higher age. This also reinforces the need to emphasize on the need for health care of the rural old people. In addition, they also had financial stringencies, including poor living standard and no saving or instable income for their old-age living. The supports from community and state to the rural elderly were very limited in both financial and healthcare aspects. In this scenario, the family played a key role in supporting and caring them, but the family was also facing some negative impacts of the fluctuating market led economy. The financial and healthcare problems of the rural elderly are not assigned only to the family, but the role of the state and community should be strengthened to support those with special needs of the old.