Rapid aging in Asia and the Pacific has put the region at the forefront of one of the most important global trends. The demographic shift is largely the result of both increased longevity and decreased fertility rates, which are both examples of development success. The change is happening at an unprecedented pace: in 2020, 13% of the population in the Asia and Pacific region was aged 60 and above, and by 2050, it is expected to increase to 24%, or roughly 1.3 billion people. At the same time, traditional family support systems are weakening due to increased migration, urbanization, decreasing family sizes, and expanding female labor market participation. Even when family care support is available, people with complex care needs and their caregivers require additional support. 

The demographic, economic, and social trends are resulting in a growing need to establish and finance long-term care (LTC) services and develop the enabling environments to support older people to age well and help families and communities to care for their older citizens.  The development of models of care that are affordable, sustainable, accessible, efficacious, and adapted to local contexts is sorely needed. 

The window of opportunity to plan for, prepare, and adapt to the needs of aging populations is now. There is great diversity among countries in the region. Some are aging at a fast rate and need to adapt quickly; others will age slower, but will end up with very large older populations. What is common, however, is that  countries in the region will see change in the coming years and need to prepare for it. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its disproportionate impacts on older persons and on existing care systems have illustrated how important it is to strengthen existing systems and develop new capacities. 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has a growing portfolio on LTC, and is working to capitalize on opportunities of increased population longevity and help mitigate the social and fiscal risks of population aging. In May 2016, ADB approved the regional capacity development technical assistance for the Strengthening Developing Member Countries’ Capacity in Elderly Care project, to help increase the capacity of developing member countries to design policies and plans for the improvement of their LTC services. The six diverse countries included in this regional technical assistance are Indonesia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, and Viet Nam. 

The technical assistance aims to (i) build a knowledge base in the region for the development of LTC systems and services; (ii) improve the capacity of officials and other stakeholders in these countries to design and implement strategic LTC plans; and (iii) create a network for disseminating knowledge, good practices, and expertise.