Elderly policy in Cambodia
As we do in other countries, we also research the current demographic trends and policy to find important developments and key issues. In a serie of 3 articles you can read about Cambodia.
According to the strategic planning for 2014 to 2018 the Ministry of Social affairs, Veterans and Youth is working on elderly welfare. The ministry is going to:
1. Continue to execute the national policy on elderly population.
2. Continue to adjust this policy based on the national economic situation.
3. Consider old people as a valuable resource for Cambodian society, who achieved a lot for the state.
4. Encourage action of the National committee for Old Age, to improve the welfare of aging people.
5. Organize an annual celebration of the International Elderly day, on the first of October.
6. To continue supporting the two important programs of the government concerning elderly:
1. The community elderly program;
2. The caring system of the family for elderly.
7. Reinforce the activities of Older People Associations (OPA) in communes in order to establish other programs, such as: health care, rice banks, cow banks, small financial credit, finance of death ceremonies. Main goal is to enable elderly to help each other in each community in the country.
8. Continue encouraging family care for elderly, by promoting the traditional custom of Cambodian families in order to respect and be grateful for the elderly, such as parents and grandparents.
9. Encourage the religious communities, pagoda’s and other religions, but especially the Buddhist religious groups, to help their religious followers who are poor.
10. Continue to encourage the generosity of people, from human kindness to help old people, for example by building a house the poorest elderly in the communes.
11. Encourage people of higher classes, authorities to give materials and money to the poor old people living in their community.
12. Manage and develop training of the staff of health care centers to provide elderly care and
service.
13. Encourage NGO’s and the private sector to establish health care services for old people.
Source: National policy on elderly by the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia (2003) Read more on Asian elderly policies at Helpage international.
