The joy of older people

Throughout 2025 and into early 2026, elderly seniors in Dong Nai province have received numerous sources of both material and spiritual support from State policies and community care and support services.

These efforts have helped elderly residents live happier, healthier lives while upholding and promoting the role of “exemplary seniors” in society.

Completing a shared home for the elderly

Dong Nai province currently has more than 357,000 elderly residents, including 280,000 members of the provincial Elderly People’s Association.

According to Nguyen Van Long, Chairman of the Elderly People's Association of Dong Nai, this places a significant responsibility on the association to truly represent elderly seniors and serve as a common home, providing care, protecting their legitimate rights and interests, and acting as a bridge to encourage their participation in patriotic emulation movements.

Nguyen Van Long, Chairman of the Elderly People's Association of Dong Nai, speaks on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Provincial Elderly People’s Association for the 2026–2031 term upon assuming office at the congress. Photo: Van Truyen

In light of this reality, after six months of operating under the two-tier local government model following the provincial merger, the Elderly People's Association of Dong Nai held its First Provincial Congress for the 2026–2031 term in late December 2025. At the congress, the association's personnel structure was consolidated, with a new Executive Committee of 27 members and designated positions of chairman and vice chairpersons.

To date, 71 of 95 communes and wards have completed consolidating their grassroots elderly people's association executive committees, while organizational development continues in the remaining localities. At the same time, the province maintains and operates more than 1,800 elderly sub-associations and over 8,500 elderly groups.

These achievements reflect a significant effort by the Elderly People's Association of Dong Nai to build and strengthen its organizational system, serving as the shared home for older persons across the province.

According to Nguyen Thanh Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Elderly People's Association, Dong Nai is the first locality nationwide to organize a provincial-level Elderly Association Congress for the 2026–2031 term, complete the consolidation of grassroots-level associations, and maintain continuous operations of sub-associations and groups. These results reflect Dong Nai province’s strong commitment and substantial efforts in work related to older persons.

In addition, elderly associations at all levels in the province currently maintain and operate around 2,000 cultural and arts clubs for elderly seniors, creating shared spaces for community activities, with nearly 60,000 regular participants.

Le Thi Soa, Chairwoman of the Elderly People’s Association of Long Khanh ward, said that Long Khanh is among the wards that completed the consolidation of its ward-level association early. The ward now maintains 28 sub-associations and 218 groups, serving as activity hubs for nearly 4,900 elderly seniors. It also operates 12 intergenerational self-help clubs, which have collectively built a fund of more than 227 million VND to support members while sustaining the operation of 43 cultural and sports clubs that enable elderly residents to exercise daily, participate in social activities, and join competitions organized by the province.

Supporting older people to live happily and healthily

Alongside strengthening organizational structures and steady growth in the number of newly admitted members, elderly people across the province have continued to receive significant attention and support, enabling them to uphold the role of “age as an example” and live happy, healthy lives.

Specifically, according to Nguyen Van Long, Chairman of the Elderly People's Association of Dong Nai, nearly 15,000 elderly seniors are currently entrusted by Party committees and local authorities to participate in Party, government, and mass organization activities. Older persons also play a core role in emulation movements and in educating younger generations about patriotic traditions. Across the province, more than 8,800 elderly residents are engaged in economic development as farm owners, business owners, and exemplary producers and entrepreneurs across various fields. These individuals are outstanding examples that affirm the role and standing of older persons in society.

Province-wide, more than 118,000 elderly residents are currently benefiting from social assistance policies in accordance with the Law on the Elderly. Of the more than 1,400 individuals receiving care at 21 licensed public and non-public social protection facilities, 311 are elderly residents.

In addition, during 2025 and early 2026, among more than 1,000 permanent houses supported by the province for households facing housing difficulties, 200 houses were handed over to households headed by older persons. This data means that during Lunar New Year, 200 elderly seniors' families can celebrate Tet in safe, permanent homes.

Dieu Thut (of the S’tieng ethnic group, residing in Bu Gia Map commune) is one of the 200 elderly households receiving a new home. He shared that his family initially received 80 million VND in support, and with additional mobilization by local authorities and the hamlet, the completed house is valued at over VND 100 million. For someone over 75, like him, this is a significant asset and a secure place to live in his later years.

Currently, member funds contributed by elderly association members at all levels across the province exceed 105 billion VND. These funds are used to provide loans for economic development and to support the mutual activities and operations of sub-associations and groups.

Moreover, during the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, elderly residents are among the priority groups receiving Tet support from the province. Specifically, under Resolution No. 26/2025/NQ-HĐND dated December 10, 2025, which stipulates beneficiary groups and support levels for the Lunar New Year in Dong Nai province, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces; Heroes of Labour during wartime; classified wounded and sick soldiers with official records managed by competent authorities; wounded soldiers currently serving in the armed forces under the management of the Dong Nai Provincial Police and the Provincial Military Command who are receiving monthly allowances; pensioners and beneficiaries of regular social insurance allowances, among others, are entitled to support of 1.2 million VND. In addition, individuals who participated in resistance wars for national liberation, national defense, or international duties (receiving one-off allowances), as well as those who rendered meritorious service in support of the revolution (receiving one-off allowances), are entitled to 1 million VND. Beneficiaries of regular community-based social assistance policies and recipients of social pensions are entitled to 720,000 VND. The majority of beneficiaries in these categories are elderly.

In parallel with State policies, elderly seniors are also a priority group for support by the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations at all levels, which mobilize social resources to care for disadvantaged residents during the Lunar New Year.

By Van Truyen – Translated by Hong Van, Minho