VIET NAM: Elderly help raise awareness on the harm of drinking and smoking

HA NOI / Viet Nam News / Social Issues / April 4, 2012 

The elderly practise Tai Chi Chuan as
part of a healthy exercise regimen.
VNA/VNS Photo Minh Duc

Hundreds of elderly people in northern Thai Binh Province's Tien Hai District have actively contributed to improving public health and curbing the use of alcohol and cigarettes.

Their efforts form part of a programme, launched by the Viet Nam Public Health Association and Atlantic Philanthropies in May 2010, by which 110 locals from Tien Hai Town and Phuong Cong Commune were taught how to stay healthy. They subsequently expanded their new knowledge amongst other members of the community.

Active involvement in such social activities not only helped them stay healthy, but also improved their role in the community, said Viet Nam Public Health Association Vice President Le Vu Anh.

Anh said that seeing as Viet Nam lacked sufficient health staff, the elderly could play a vital role in health communication.

Prestige, enthusiasm, free time and ability to persuade made their voice strong within communities, he added.

Thanks to advice on diets and exercise alongside application of the WHO's Active Ageing Initiative [a process of optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age], the elderly were instructed on how to pay more attention to their bodies to receive timely healthcare.

Ngo Tuan Nha, 72, from Phuong Cong Commune, said he had found joining the programme useful.

"At gatherings, health experts from the association and Ha Noi School of Public Health teach us about healthy lifestyles and disease prevention," he explained.

The commune also set up a public health branch and public health members with access to the Elderly Association to popularise understanding among about 30 households in the neighbourhood.

Nha said that during talks amongst neighbours, the elderly raised awareness on the harm of drinking and smoking.

"I felt healthier and happier in being useful to others," he said, adding that joining such social activities was much more interesting than staying at home and watching TV.

So far, out of 500 male smokers in the two communes, over 100 reportedly quit, while nearly 130 others reduced their daily intake.

With the elderly accounting for 10.1 per cent of Viet Nam's total population, the country has faced burdens including increased Government and household spendings as well as upped demand for healthcare and social welfare, Anh said.

"Viet Nam has less than 20 years to make the transition from a golden to an ageing population," he added, "It needs drastic measures to improve quality of life amongst the elderly."

Nguyen Thi Lien, a Viet Nam Elderly Association representative, said that life quality improvement covered physical health, mental health, access to services and participation in community activities.

Thus, initiatives designated for the elderly must be diversified, she said, urging focus on the poor and lonely. — VNS

Copyrights 2009 Viet Nam News
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Seniors World Chronicle, a not-for-profit, serves to chronicle and widen their reach.

VIET NAM: Only 5.32 per cent of Viet Nam's elderly are in good health

HA NOI, Viet Nam / VietNamNet / News / September 30, 2011

VietNamNet Bridge – Only 5.32 per cent of Viet Nam's elderly are in good health, the Centre for Ageing Support and Community Development has reported.

Voluntary doctors provide eye examination for the elderly at the Thong Nhat Park in Ha Noi. (Photo: VNS)

Health care for the elderly is one of the key targets under the National Programme for the Elderly 2011-15.

The health of around 1,100 elderly has been prioritised under a pilot model of consultation for the country's aged population run by Hoa Thuong Commune's Elderly Association in the northern province of Thai Nguyen.

Association Chairwoman Nguyen Thanh Thuy said after one year of operation, the model has helped local elderly people - mainly farmers - to understand symptoms and prevention of high and low blood pressure and heart disease.

"Farmers have little chance to access medical knowledge, so they know very little about these medical problems," she said.

Meanwhile the association's survey figures show about 95 per cent of local elderly have contracted chronic diseases, including 54 per cent registering bone and joint problems and 46.1 per cent having contracted respiratory diseases, she said.

"The association informs elderly people about blood pressure, diabetes and heart issues and instructs them to eat healthily to prevent disease," she said.

The association has also launched a programme for young volunteer care givers to visit the elderly at home.

This is one of many pilot programmes that are set up and funded by the Viet Nam National Committee on Ageing.

Despite initial success, a lack of infrastructure, funding and human resources to operate the programme effectively have been blamed for difficulties the association has faced.

Each volunteer receives only VND120,000 (US$5) each month and therefore do not devote themselves to the job, Thuy said.

Ten medical staff including one doctor in the commune's medical centre have gone out of their way to monitor the health of more than 1,100 elderly and nearly 11,000 local people, she said.

The Viet Nam Elderly Association and civil society organisations have found some solutions to improve the programme, a Viet Nam Association of the Elderly spokesperson said.

If successful, the programme is expected to be endorsed nation-wide as part of a plan to pay more attention to the health of the elderly, who now account for 10 per cent of the national population, he said.

Figures from the General Statistics Office show the number of elderly will grow to 16.8 per cent of the national population by 2029.

Up to 70 per cent of the elderly now have little or no savings and only 20 per cent receive a pension or social welfare, with 73 per cent of the aged population living in rural areas.

Le Van Nhan, from the Viet Nam Association of the Elderly said, "it's time to pay more attentions to the elderly," adding that very few programmes for the elderly had been set up and only half of the nation's elderly have health insurance cards.

The Viet Nam Association of the Elderly has co-operated with the Viet Nam National Committee for the Elderly to compile documents to form and implement nation-wide aged-care policies, said association representative Pham Tuyet Nhung.

In a related move, the association responded to the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 by calling on civil organisations to do more to help older people access social and medical services.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
© Copyright of VIETNAMNET Bridge
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Seniors World Chronicle, a not-for-profit, serves to chronicle and widen their reach.

Seniors World Chronicle's Fascinating Face for September 2, 2011

Jason Webb of DigiDrift.com took this beautiful old lady's portrait
in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. Discover more of his work (Copyright)
by clicking here
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Credit: Reports and photographs are property of owners of intellectual rights.
Seniors World Chronicle, a not-for-profit, serves to chronicle and widen their reach.

VIET NAM: Kind-hearted monk looks after destitute elderly

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HA NOI / Viet Nam News Agency / News / April 18, 2011

By Kim Cuong - Thu Trang

The elderly in Viet Nam face an uncertain future if they are poor and have no one to look after them. Some must live on the street, begging for food and money, while others may even take their own lives.

Charitable organisations such as Buddhist groups play a crucial role in providing care for the destitute elderly. One of many Buddhist pagodas across the country that offers shelter and care to the elderly is Soc Trang Province's Phuoc Lam Pagoda, run by the Venerable Thich Giac Thoi, 50, whose secular name is Tran Van Chien.

Hailing from the southern province of Kien Giang, Thoi first came to the pagoda in 1988, when he had been a monk for only a year. Two years later, he was appointed as the head of the pagoda.

Warm welcome: A view of Phuoc Lam Pagoda in Soc Trang District. — VNS File Photos

Thoi says he had the idea of establishing a home for the elderly in 1998, after an 84-year-old woman came to the pagoda, desperate to find a place to stay.

"She was homeless, exhausted, hungry and thirsty," says Thoi.

"I saw that many other elderly people also needed help, so I began seeking donations to help me build the house," he said.

Since then the pagoda's home for the elderly has provided accommodation for 34 people. Every afternoon he checks on the old people at the pagoda, providing them with food, such as noodles, and medicinal ointment.

Healing plants:Monks and old people dry Vietnamese traditional medicine at the pagoda.

"All of the elderly experienced unhappiness before being accepted here," Thoi says.

Elderly couple Le Hung Hau, 83, and Nguyen Thi Quoi, 77, from Tra Vinh Province, were homeless for nearly three years before they came to the pagoda.

Hau says he and his wife were driven into poverty after she fell ill in 2008.

"I had to sell all of my property, including my house, to pay for the hospital fees, but despite this she did not get better," he says.

"Since then we have not had a home."

In late 2009, after hearing about Phuoc Lam Pagoda, the elderly couple decided to seek help from Thoi.

"Now my wife's health has improved," says Hau.

"We have decided to live here until we die."

Another women Tran Thi Soi, 83, says that both her children had abandoned her.

Shelter from the storm:The old people are being taken care of in the pagoda.

"Despite my old age, I had to sell vegetables every day to earn my living," she says.

The pagoda has provided a home for Soi and many others like her who have been discarded by the rest of society.

The airy four room house was built for the elderly in 2002 with funds of nearly VND80 million (US$4,000).

The head of the Soc Trang Buddhist Sangha's Executive Board, Duong Nhon, says the Sangha gave the Phuoc Lam Pagoda financial help for Thoi's worthy project.

"The pagoda still faces many difficulties and lacks funds for its work, but Thoi does not hesitate to help homeless and unhappy people," says Nhon.

The elderly people who have received care and shelter at the pagoda have come from all over the country, from places such as Phan Thiet and Kien Giang provinces and HCM City.

All of them have suffered and were homeless when they came to the pagoda. Most of them lack affection and have illnesses, according to Thoi.

In addition to setting up the old people's home, the monk has expanded the pagoda's store of traditional medicines to provide health services for all disadvantaged people.

"Many old people at the pagoda suffer from illnesses so the idea of giving them treatment right at the pagoda popped into my head," he says.

Thoi assigned nun Thich Nu Dang Chieu to join a Vietnamese traditional medicine and acupuncture course.

"Thanks to donations from Buddhists from across the country, we have funds to look after old people and give them medical treatment," says Thoi.

"Many Buddhists also come to the pagoda and help us to take care of the elderly here."

Nun Chieu says that although the pagoda received donations from Buddhists, the facilities were very basic.

"We lack acupuncture equipment to give proper treatment to the people," she says.

Every day the pagoda delivers 50 to 100 packs of traditional Vietnamese medicines and provides acupuncture for 50 people. In addition, the pagoda serves meals to more than 70 people.

Currently the pagoda is building nine more rooms which will provide accommodation to more than 40 people. The VND400 million ($20,000) project is expected to be completed in a few months' time.

"Doing charitable work, helping old people, ill people and homeless people is simply following the Buddha's teachings," says Thoi.

"Carrying out this work means that I can fulfil a monk's responsibilities." — VNS

Source: Viet Nam News Service

VIET NAM: In pictures - Retirement in Vietnam

LONDON, England / BBC News / Business / In Pictures / September 13, 2010

Launch slide show

After a hard routine, they form a line to massage each other’s backs.

The number of people aged 60 and above was 6.5 million in 2005

and is predicted to rise to 31.3 million by 2050.

Elderly couples usually walk around before taking rest in a

quiet corner of Hoan Kiem Lake. An ageing population is expected in

Vietnam in the years to come, according to UN projections.

Mr Hong and his wife say their combined pensions just meet their

daily needs. Pensions still rise every year, but some economists

say pension policy needs to be reformed or else the fund run out

by the year 2040. (Pictures by Ha Mi, BBC Vietnamese Service)

VIET NAM: Population dilemmas - Older but not healthier

. HANOI, Viet Nam / VietNam Bridge / VietNam Net / August 22, 2009 Infants and the elderly: VN discusses population dilemmas A fast-growing population over 65 plus increasing imbalances in sex ratios of newborns present dilemmas for Vietnam’s population policy analysts. Older but not healthier “Viet Nam’s population is aging earlier than predicted. Vietnam is one of several countries that have an elderly population and yet are not wealthy nations,” said Duong Quoc Trong, chief of the General Department of Population and Family Planning at a seminar on Viet Nam’s population planning for 2010-2020, says a report by local online newspaper, VNExpress. A country is defined as ‘having an elderly population’ when 10 percent of the population is over 60 years old and 7.5 percent is over 65 accounts for 7.5 percent. Statistics from 2008 show that Vietnam’s population over 60 years old was approximately 9.5 percent, and 7.5 percent was over 65 years. Though the average lifespan of the Vietnamese is relatively high, its ‘average healthy lifespan’ is rather low, 116th out of 174 countries surveyed. The average Vietnamese has 12 years of illness during his or her 72.2 years of life. Boy/girl imbalance grows Participants in the seminar also expressed concern about the increasing sex ratio imbalance of babies born in Vietnam. From 1979 to 1999, the ratio of male/female newborns increased only one percentage point, from 110 male/100 female newborn babies in 1979 to 111 male/100 female newborn babies in 1999. From the ten year period between 1999 and 2008, however, this ratio rose an additional percentage point, reaching 112 male/100 female newborn babies in 2008. This rate of increase is even higher than India or China, countries famous for their highly imbalanced sex ratios. In 2007, 33 out of 64 provinces and cities in Vietnam had a ratio of 110 male/100 female newborn babies; in Hai Duong province, east of Hanoi, the ratio was 135/100. According to Wikipedia, "In humans the secondary sex ratio (i.e. at birth) is commonly assumed to be 105 boys to 100 girls.” “We don’t have effective measures to control this increase [in the ratio of male to female births],” said Dinh Cong Thoan, also from the General Department of Population and Family Planning. “Our main methods are campaigns, preventing publishers and websites from producing books or articles on sex selection, and banning health centers from revealing the sex of babies to pregnant women.” Experts suggest changing abortion regulations to solve the imbalanced sex ratios. Concern was also expressed about the rising number of women of child-bearing age (between 14 to 49 years old). The number of women in Vietnam between ages 20 and 34 is predicted to rise in the next decade to 12.3 million. This cohort of females is the largest in Vietnam’s demographic history. Demographers call it “the second population explosion”. VNExpress comments that whereas the principal objective of the Population Department has been reducing the birth rate, in the future population officials must focus on improving the population’s health and quality of life. [rc] VietNamNet/VNE Copyright of VietNamNet Bridge

VIET NAM: Elderly man pursues fight against corruption

. HANOI, Viet Nam / VietNamNet Bridge / News / June 5, 2009 An 80 year-old man is fighting corruption and embezzlement “for the sake of the people and my relatives and comrades who have fallen in two wars of independence.” Hoang Manh Tung, a resident of Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, is determined to rid Vietnam of graft. Mr. Tung, who has been a Party member for 62 years, said, “District 2 is a newly-urbanized area, which will be transformed into a new commercial and financial district of the city in the near future. That’s why the price of land here, especially in Thao Dien Ward, is very costly.” “Land crises have resulted in corruption, in which individuals collude with high-ranking state officials to appropriate public land for personal benefit,” he added. Mr. Tung emphasized that the fight against corruption and embezzlement should be made a priority in the current context of society in general, and Thao Dien Ward in particular, to protect the interest of the public. As far back as 1999, public outrage in Thao Dien Ward arose around the actions of the secretary of the Block 3 Party Committee, who allowed Le Doan Hung, a local resident, to fill in land and level a 300 meter section of Rach Dua Canal and turn it into a fish farm. Mr. Tung said, “I made an investigation into the case and denounced the secretary’s violation and abuse of power at the meeting of the Party cell where he is a member. The secretary immediately rejected, denounced and accused me of being a slanderer at the meeting, as I couldn’t produce adequate proof for what I’d said. I was just an inexperienced fighter for the truth at the time, you know.” Shortly afterward, there were widespread discussions about another case, in which the secretary granted 20.66 square meters of public land within the precinct of the city-hall ground to two neighboring families. One of owners is Hung’s brother-in-law. Mr. Tung brought the case to an other meeting of the Party cell and again, was rejected by the secretary, as Mr. Tung could not produce sufficient evidence. In early 2003, Mr. Tung was told that the District 2 People’s Committee was granting a land certificate to Hung’s fish farm. Learning from the failure of the two previous denouncements, Mr. Tung decided not bring the case to the meeting of the Party cell, but to lodge an appeal to the Thao Dien Ward Party Committee instead. Mr. Tung said, “They did conduct an investigation and after that they concluded that the secretary had done nothing wrong, and I again was accused of being a slanderer.” With such a conclusion, Mr. Tung would have had to make a self-criticism before the Party cell for scheming to create a wedge between Party members. However, a number of senior members of the cell were on his side. Mr. Tung said, “I was disappointed and would let things run their course if some of my comrades, who are senior members in the organization, didn’t encourage me to continue the fight. We then lodged another appeal to the City Steering Board for Party Reform and Anti-Corruption, which later sent an inspection team to the fish farm. “We thought that the fight was over when the inspection team issued a decision to request the local authorities to recover the [fish farm] land and 20.66 square meters of land within the precinct of the Block 3’s meeting-hall, but I was mistaken,” said Mr. Tung. He explained that Hung had some strangers come and stand in front of his house to heap insults on him. They did not run way until he called the police. And no one knew why some newspapers in the city began to publish articles raising their voices in defense of Hung’s actions and propose District 2 People’s Committee let him continue to use the fish farm. Mr. Tung said, “Right after such publications, Hung had land refilled and leveled the fish pond and built a villa in place. The municipal authorities forced him to dismantle the construction work, but Hung deliberately ignored their instructions.” The dispute continues. Mr. Tung said, “I together with my comrades will continue the fight until we win victory. With the backing of the people, we know for sure that justice triumphs eventually.” Copyright of VietNamNet Bridge

VIET NAM: Ho Chi Minh City is home to 269 centenarians

. HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet Nam / Saigon GP Daily / February 10, 2009 Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha (1,R) presents gifts to one of four local residents who turned 100 years old. Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thu Ha on February 9 visited and presented gifts of the State President to four local residents who turned 100 years old this year. They are among the 269 centenarians living in the city, 207 of whom are woman. The same day, a delegation of Tan Binh district presented gifts worth 600,000-1,200,000 VND each to 30 local people aged over 100, with the oldest being 110 years old. Source: Viet Nam News Agency @Copyright 2005 SGGP

VIET NAM: Widowed elderly need love, too

. HA NOI, Viet Nam / The Malaysian Star / January 18, 2009 By Minh Huong Widower Nguyen Van Hoa, who is 65 years old, has wanted to marry for the last 10 years. However, his children disagree with the idea. Hoa has lived alone in his own home in a small street in Ha Noi since his two children married and moved away to live with their own families. “Now that I feel more and more lonely, my son feels sorry for me and is encouraging me to find a new woman.” says Hoa. “But it’s too late. Who wants me now? I am too old.” But Hoa can’t really blame his children for his predicament, as many people in Vietnamese society frown upon elderly people re-marrying. Thirty-year-old Nguyen Thi Van, whose mother has a steady boyfriend, says she tries to do everything she can to put an end to her mother’s new relationship. “He used to come to my home, but after I found out he wanted to marry my mother, I banned him from coming,” says Van. “What does she want with him at the age of almost 60? Many other women of her age are in similar situations but don’t consider marrying again. Why must she have another husband?” Van is one of many who think the elderly are too old for “that kind of relationship”. She says she stopped talking to her mother when she found out about her new flame. She thought the new man in her mother’s life was just trying to use her for money. Van’s mother, Le Ngoan Chi, says she just wanted to have a friend to talk to. Photo courtesy Enric Corbero According to Nguyen Dinh Cu, director of the Institute for Popula­tion and Social Studies, getting married for a second time is a right that all people, including the elderly, should have. Unfortunately, most people don’t try to understand the situation people like Hoa and Chi find themselves in. Cu says most people are opposed to the elderly remarrying, adding that most children don’t want to have another person to take care of in their family and are afraid of what other people may think about their new family. Many older men face hurdles getting married, but for older women, the hurdles are even greater. Old traditions die hard, and unfortunately some still have the view that a wife should never get married again, even after her husband has died. Cu said his institute has carried out a survey in Ha Noi and found only one in five people would agree to let their parents remarry. The majority think the elderly do not need any more love affairs, says Cu. Cu said the prejudice makes the elderly themselves afraid of remarrying. Many women say no to good men as they do not want to be criticised and gossiped about by neighbours. I met an elderly and beautiful woman in this situation. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said her husband died when she was 46. After that, several men proposed. Her children’s response was to move from her house to stay with their grandparents. She says that since then, she has put her children first and denied herself the joys of having a partner. At the age of 55, she is still good-looking and attractive. “Sometimes, I want to be loved by a man, but I do not want to lose my children,” she says. “So, I chose to stay alone.” However, some elderly people manage to successfully remarry. Cu cites the example of an 80-year-old man who ignored his children’s protests and remarried. “He is now very happy,” says Cu. It’s unfortunate that so many children force single parents to choose between their children and their happiness. Cu says people should be more sympathetic, and children especially should give more thought to their parents’ needs instead of themselves. The older their single parents are, the more they need a partner to be with them, says Cu. Viet Nam’s population is ageing. The elderly make up 9.45% of the total population – or about eight million. According to Cu, the state has plenty of policies to help the elderly live happily, but on some areas, support is lacking. Society’s views on the elderly remarrying is one area that could benefit from some government input. - Viet Nam News Copyright © 1995-2009 Star Publications (M) Bhd

VIET NAM: Number of senior citizens increases

. HO CHI MINH City, Viet Nam / Thanh Nien Daily / January 1, 2009 By Minh Ngoc The proportion of Vietnam’s population defined as elderly rose to 9.45 percent in 2007 from 7.2 percent in 1989, according to the National Committee for the Elderly. The age group is forecast to make up 16.8 percent of the population by 2029, an ASEAN forum in Hanoi on aging and services for the elderly heard Monday. The committee told the two-day forum 73 percent of Vietnam’s elderly population lived in rural areas, but only 21 percent received pensions. Up to 70 percent of Vietnam’s senior citizens do not have savings and more than 23 percent of them live in poverty. Vietnam’s population is now 86 million. Copyright © 2004 Thanh Nien News

VIET NAM: Healthcare may buckle as elderly multiply

. HA NOI / Viet Nam News / December 30, 2008 Viet Nam’s ageing population was increasing so fast that there is a danger that the nation’s already overburdened healthcare system won’t be able to cater to the growing ranks of the elderly. The warning was made by Nguyen Quoc Anh from the General Office for Population, Family Planning at the ASEAN forum on ageing in Ha Noi yesterday. Like other ASEAN countries, Viet Nam has a tradition of respect for older people and hope to give them adequate care, however, economic conditions are making that lofty goal difficult to ensure. Excercising in the morning is one of the ways elderly Vietnamese aim to live a longer and healthier life. But providing adequate health care for them is a big challenge as the economic realities show the nation may not be able to cope. — VNS Photo Truong Vi Anh said that providing adequate health care for the elderly was a big challenge, as the economic realities showed the nation could not afford to support them. Ageing population Viet Nam is on its way to becoming an ageing population. In 1989, 7.2 per cent of the total population were elderly, while last year the proportion of elderly rose to 9.45 per cent out of a total of 85 million people. Nguyen Dinh Cu, director of the Institute of Population and Social Studies, said the nation was at the edge of becoming an ageing population as defined by a UN regulation stating that any country whose population of elderly is 10 per cent or more of the total population is an ageing population. Anh’s office calculated that the proportion of older people would reach 11.4 per cent by 2020, while the UN calculated that it would be 26 per cent by 2050. Data from the General Statistics Office say 70 per cent of the older people in Vietnam need healthcare services, but less than 20 per cent of them have a health insurance card for free health care. The data also show that about 80 per cent of older people are living in rural areas without a health insurance card. Many hold out without insurance until they reach the age of 85, when they can get a free health insurance card. In addition, according to Luong Ngoc Khue, deputy director of the Health Check and Service Department, among the 63 cities and provinces of Viet Nam, there are only 28 clinics with about 3,000 beds for elderly people. Khue added: "Many elderly people don’t even consider going to hospitals as they think that diseases are an unavoidable result of old age." "Many elderly only come or are taken to a hospital if they are in a serious condition," said Khue. On the other hand, hospitals often lack staff and resources to treat elder people who often develop chronic diseases such as heart, diabetes and stroke conditions and need long-term treatment and lots of medicine. The deputy director suggested the establishment of a healthcare fund for the elderly as well as a reduction on hospital fees to help older people. At the two-day forum, representatives from Brunei shared their experiences in taking care of elderly people at home, considering that most of their diseases were not communicative and the fact that older people benefited from having their children and families close by when sick. In Thailand, 1.7 million out of more than 7 million people aged 60 and over receive 500 baht (US$15) each per month as government support. All elderly people also have a health card that provides them with free health checks and treatment. Forum participants today continue to discuss issues related to the elderly. Source: Viet Nam News

VIET NAM: Dancing Old Age Away

. Elderly Ho Chi Minh City citizens find that growing old ain’t so bad so long as they can dance. A morning dance class at Gia Dinh Park in Ho Chi Minh City’s Go Vap District. HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet Nam (Thanh Nien News), September 24, 2008: By Van Khoa Every afternoon, 77-year-old Bui Van Diem from District 10 comes to his dance class two hours early to practice before the class starts. “If I don’t dance, I can’t sleep or eat well,” says Diem, who signed up for the dance class at a local Retirees’ Club two months ago. Every day in clubs and at parks such as Gia Dinh, Le Van Tam and Le Thi Rieng, thousands of elderly people like Diem do the tango, rumba, and waltz as a way to stay active and fit. Diem’s teacher, Phuong Minh, who has taught dancing at the District 10 Retirees’ Club for the past ten years, says most of his elderly students have diabetes, high blood pressure or some kind of cardiovascular diseases. Many signed up for the class because friends had told them their health improved by taking up dancing. “In the beginning, only five to seven people attended my class,” Minh says. “Now, I have around 30 to 40 students showing up to dance every afternoon.” Nguyen Phi Lam, another dance teacher at Gia Dinh Park in Go Vap District, has also seen enrollment in his class climb steadily. From only one class with five to seven students two years ago, he now teaches three classes, each of which has around 60 students, mostly elderly people. Minh and Lam say slow dancing relieves many of the physical pains some elderly citizens experience everyday. 57-year-old Tran Nhat Tan, who has practiced dancing in one of Lam’s classes for two years, says the cha-cha-cha has eased the pain in his bones and joints. “When I dance, my body sweats a lot and I feel better,” he says. “I can sleep well and my blood pressure returns to normal.” Meeting new people and making friends at the class is anotheradvantage, said Tan. 60-year-old Tran Dinh Lieu, who has danced with Lam for one-and-a-half-years, has also watched his body get slimmer with dancing. He has lost six to seven centimeters on his waistline, he says. But it’s the ability to walk normally again that he’s most grateful for. Lieu has sciatica, a nerve disease that gives his legs terrible pain. He used to lie in bed all day. Then he signed up for the class and step by step, learned to dance. “I can walk like other people now,” he said. “And my legs only hurt once every three to four months, instead of everyday like they used to.” Lieu shows up at Gia Dinh Park at 4:30 every morning, practicing a little before the 5 a.m. class starts. He told two of his friends with cardiovascular problems to sign up for the class too. 68-year-old Tran Thanh Ha, a public health lecturer at Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University, says dancing helps her stay alert and remember things better. She has danced with Minh for two years. “Before taking the dance class, I often got the flu,” she says. “Now I seldom get sick and feel happy most of the time.” Dancing is so beneficial to health that even the Ho Chi Minh City’s Nutrition Center used to provide dance classes. But the classes have since closed as their organizer, Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Hung, left the center for a teaching job at Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University. As a former dance student at the center, 62-year-old Nguyen Thi Phuoc saw her diabetes improve after two years of dancing there. She now dances with Minh’s class at the District 10 Retirees’ Club. Dr. Hung says her former diabetes patients at the center had lower blood sugar, felt happier, and cared about their appearance and health more than those who did no dance. “It seemed that they hadn’t known happiness before dancing,” Hung says. “They told me they wished they had begun dancing much earlier.” Copyright © 2004 Thanh Nien

VIET NAM: Celebrating long life

. Throwing a party for your elderly relatives is a way of also reminding younger generations of Vietnam’s traditionally Confucian origins. HANOI (VietNamNet Bridge) September 21, 2008: Vietnamese families often throw a party for elderly relatives but not necessarily on their birthday. For starters, few old people actually know their exact date of birth as they have no birth certificates! But it is also a tradition to celebrate longevity in spring after the Lunar New Year has begun rather than on the actual birthday. This is the most auspicious time of year and all family members are likely to be home to join in the celebrations. The ‘longevity celebration’ is not simply a glorified birthday party. Vietnam is a traditional and Confucian society. The celebration might be better understood as a way of giving thanks or honouring your elders. It is a way to remind younger generations of the sacrifices their parents or grandparents, or indeed great grandparents, have made in the past. The more important position or rank someone holds in society, the grander the celebrations will be. But of course, the main point is to toast and congratulate someone for reaching a ripe old age of 70, 80 or 90. Respecting the elderly means treasuring their life experience. A family that has an old person living with them is believed to be a lucky one as their children will learn from their life experience and worldly wisdom. Sometimes a community or village will organise a group party to celebrate all the local elders, who have reached a certain age. The party will be held in the village’s dinh (communal house). Colourful flags and ribbons will ripple in the wind. A red carpet will be rolled out from the gate of the dinh to the threshold. The fragrance of burning joss sticks will hang in the air as the village’s eldest man kneels before the altar inside and prays for prosperity and happiness for all villagers. He will then report the names of the elders celebrating their longevity to the village’s genies and pray for their good health. There will be music and a parade of traditional dances. Gifts and certificates of longevity will also be presented to the honoured guests. In some areas celebrations are not held in the village’s dinh, but at people’s own homes. Today, as living standards have been on the up, celebrations have become more extravagant for some families. But Pham Minh Thu, an 80 year old from Hanoi, says celebrations don’t need to be excessive. “What’s important is how children behave towards their parents every day,” says Thu. “A big celebration will not show their gratitude to their parents.” Children have also been accused of using the celebration for their own ends, as depicted in a famous Vietnamese film, in which the director of a company is planning to celebrate his mother’s 80th birthday in his house. But his brother is also keen to host the party in the family’s hometown. The director knows if he hosts the party his wealthy peers and VIP colleagues will offer cash and lavish gifts. The other brother arrives hoping he can take his mother back to the countryside. The director cottons onto his brother’s scheme and sneaks his mother away to a friend’s house and secretly organises a party in a luxury restaurant. It all ends a nasty quarrel between the brothers in the restaurant and the mother collapses due to the stress and shame of it all. It’s a simple moral tale for these modern times when strong family ties and traditional Confucian ideals are fast being forgotten thanks to the dizzying pace of life in Vietnam. The longevity celebration is a fine cultural trait that should not be taken advantage of. We must remember to respect the elderly and the traditions that have forged this nation over the thousands of years. (Source: Time-out) Copyright of VietNamNet Bridge

VIET NAM: Photo Exhibit Brings Fresh Feelings, Japan's Landscape and People

. HA NOI (Vietnam News Service), September 13, 2008: Japan’s landscape and people are appearing in Ha Noi, thanks to a photo exhibition which opened on Wednesday. Fresh feelings: A Japan photo exhibit graces Ha Noi. VNS Photo Truong Vi Entitled Nhat Ban – Dat Nuoc Hoa Anh Dao (Japan – The Country of Cherry Blossoms), the exhibition features work by veteran photographer Le Vuong and his son-in-law, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, Nguyen Phu Binh. Of the 55 photos on display, 40 were shot by Vuong during his one-month visit to Japan last spring. The 91-year-old photographer said he was lucky to visit the country during its most beautiful season. "With flower blossoms everywhere amid a colourful vivid scenery, people look very happy in that context. Like everyone, I can’t resist such natural beauty." A large number of photos were taken while Vuong toured different cities, including Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. "All the landscapes featured in the photos are very popular with Japanese people," said one Japanese visitor to the exhibition, Toba Mika. "I still have fresh feelings when I contemplate these photos." Similar to the two artists bringing international landscapes home, Mika was in town to paint Viet Nam’s landscapes. "Many Japanese learn about Viet Nam through my paintings. Like me, Vuong and Binh are the ones who introduce Japan to Vietnamese people," the Nagoya-born painter said. "That cultural exchange is very useful, helping people of the two countries learn more about each other." "It’s unbelievable that an elderly man with an old film camera can catch such lively angles," said veteran photographer Quang Phung upon visiting the exhibition. "The simple layout of the photos seems suitable with the theme: peaceful scenery and friendly people." Phung commented that although the two photographers come from different generations, they had similar artistic angles, focusing on the common theme of natural beauty and people. The exhibition, one of several cultural activities organised to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Viet Nam-Japan diplomatic relations, is being put on by the Viet Nam Artistic Photographers’ Association. Copyright by Viet Nam News

VIET NAM: Internet helps warm hearts of the elderly

. HANOI, Viet Nam (Viet Nam News Agency) August 26, 2008: By Ha Nguyen Old dogs, new tricks: Retired and elderly people join a computer class in Ho Chi Minh City. VNS Photo. Computers these days have become more and more popular, not only for youths, but also for the elderly. In fact, for many elderly people, computers have become part of everyday life. Sixty-five-year-old widower Nguyen Quoc Huy began learning how to use the computer just last month. He said that he was now rather fluent in his e-mail technique, and particularly liked sending them to his darling. "Two months ago, I couldn’t understand why my seventh-grade nephew was so interested in the computer. He’d even forget to eat or do his homework he was so busy on it. "One day, I asked him to teach me how to use it. And after a week, I knew nothing. I thought it was very difficult, so I enrolled in a computer class. "Almost all of my classmates were elderly, like me. They were already retired and some of them were widows or widowers." Huy said that apart from learning how to use a computer, he had also formed relationships with many new friends, including a widow named Lam. "After one week, since we were all so interested, most of us knew how to perform simple operations on the computer, like how to chat or send e-mails. "Chatting is particularly great for elderly people like us, because we’ve already retired, but still like to meet new friends and share our experiences with others," said Huy. Since meeting at the centre, 60-year-old Vu Thi Lam and Huy had become very close, and were even making plans to have a wedding by the end of the year, according to Lam. She added that thanks to the Internet, many people, particularly elderly, felt less lonely at home. "We share both good news and sad stories with each other through chatting and e-mails, whereas before it was difficult if I were having a problem and needed someone to talk to, especially since my husband died 10 years ago. "Since joining the computer class and meeting Huy, I’m very pleased with my life. We e-mail each other about everything, but some topics we can chat with each other about for hours, like talking about beloved old songs or a poem that we both enjoy," said Lam. She said that she also knew how to keep an everyday blog, to write things that inspired her. "Writing a blog helps me feel more active compared with before. I feel so much younger these days." One classmate, Trinh Van Nguyen, said that he first learned about the computer in order to read news on the internet, but later he also found out how to visit Google and search for information regarding his plant research. "The internet is great. I can find so many things for my research," said Nguyen, adding that the internet helped users, particularly Vietnamese, become closer to the rest of the world." The centre’s manager said that since computer classes opened in April 2007, more than 4,000 students had attended, and many lonely hearts had found new friends. "Every day after exercise and breakfast, my widow mother sits before the computer, checking her e-mail and writing her blog. I can even tell by visiting her blog that she has many friends. And she shares many things with them, such as that she has felt lonely, even though she lives with her only daughter’s family," Truong Le Mai, a foreign company director, told Viet Nam News. "My daughter and her husband work all day and return home very late at night, while their two children also come back late from their semi-boarding schools. They rarely stay at home on the weekend because they’re always going on trips or visiting friends," the mother’s blog reads. "Reading my mother’s blog, I realised that I had made so many mistakes toward her. And I’m so sorry, mother. We will all pay you more mind from now on," said Mai. Copyright by Vietnam News Agency

VIET NAM: Modern age hitting family life, shows survey

HANOI (AFP), June 27, 2008: Modern pressures are changing the Vietnamese family structure, with divorce on the rise and the very young and old spending more time alone, said a joint UN-government survey released Thursday. Gender equality is improving, but men still dominate households, and domestic violence occurs in 20 percent of marriages, said the first nationwide survey of the family unit, a joint project with UN children's agency UNICEF. "After 20 years of doi moi, or renovation (market reforms), Vietnam has changed in nearly all aspects of life, including in family relationships," found the survey of 9,400 households across all 64 cities and provinces. Vietnam has for millennia been a traditionally rural and patriarchal society, where Confucian values stressed the family unit and dictated that the young respect their elders, and that women are obedient to their husbands. However, the survey found social mores are changing fast in communist Vietnam, which emerged from decades of war in 1975 and started to re-open its doors to the outside world in the 1990s, ushering in rapid economic growth. Divorce, once almost unheard of, has "increased rapidly in recent years," to 2.6 percent of respondents aged 18 to 60, with most divorcees citing "differences in opinion about lifestyle, adultery and economic difficulties." The survey also found that many parents now feel they are no longer able to spend enough time with their children and, with a lack of affordable child care, worry for their offspring's mental and emotional development. "It's not a matter of not wanting to, or ignorance," said UNICEF country chief Jesper Morch. "Parents need to work in order for their families to survive ... and therefore don't have time to spend with their children." Only one third of households have elderly family members, the survey found. "Three-generation households were less common and are decreasing, possibly due to industrialisation," said the report, co-produced by Vietnam's Institute of Family and Gender Studies. Hosted by Copyright © 2008 AFP.

VIET NAM: Elder won’t let songs fall by wayside

HANOI, Viet Nam (VietNamNetBridge), June 16, 2008:

The celebration of festivals, finding love, honouring ancestors and dealing with the joys and sorrows of life without the singing of folk songs is completely incomprehensible to Ngu Khai Phuong, a 76-year-old Pu Y ethnic minority man.

Life without old folk songs is, however, exactly what Phuong’s community is facing. The Pu Y, concentrated in Ha Giang and Lao Cai Provinces, are just like all other ethnic minorities who are struggling to preserve their unique language and culture as their communities are increasingly opened-up to mainstream Vietnamese influence. Efforts at preservation are often an uphill battle with few resources to help; despite these obstacles some elders feel compelled to take action as they watch youth growing up without knowledge of their heritage.

One such elder is Phuong, who lives in a remote area of Ha Giang Province and is working tirelessly to pass on Pu Y songs and culture to the younger generations.

Phuong performs the Pu Y folk songs he loves.

A trip to meet this man is not for the faint of heart as travelling to this northernmost province requires a willingness to drive on roads that seem to barely cling to mountainsides with drops into deep abyss on one side and fog and mist often encircling the landscape. The landscape in this mountainous region is both formidable and extremely picturesque.

Upon nearing Phuong’s home in the small village of Nam Luong, the air is likely to be cold and the landscape will occasionally include scenes of ethnic minority people hard at work in their fields on the mountain slopes. No car can undertake the last part of the trip to Phuong’s simple and small house; it is only after a trek on foot up a hill that the journey to meet the man is complete.

Despite his advanced years, Phuong is healthy and vibrant and is eager to discuss the importance Pu Y songs for himself and his people. When he was young, villagers often organised large-scale festivals where they would drink maize wine and sing folk-songs all day. Pu Y couples would publicly sing love-songs to attract one another and find their life-mates. During Tet, ceremonies to honour elders, or new house blessings, for example, special songs would be sung.

At an early age, Phuong became passionate about these old folk songs. He remembers listening to the respected elder in the village sing and then practising the songs until they became a part of him. During the nine years Phuong served in the army, he says he often sang songs for his fellow soldiers during their operations.

After working in Quan Ba’s Health Department for many years, Phuong retired and started devoting himself to collecting old Pu Y’s folk songs. When he craved singing, he would go to his friend’s house to sing and remember his youth. As the years went on, the community sang the old folk songs less and less making his efforts at preservation even more important.

Phuong said, "When I die, I only worry that these Pu Y folk songs will also die. Pu Y people’s descendants won’t remember their forefathers’ songs." It was this great worry that led Phuong to take his collection and start devoting himself to teaching others.

Phuong claims the Pu Y folk songs must be passed on from person-to-person, because the "Pu Y melody is more difficult than those of other ethnic groups." Another difficult feature of the songs is that there is no limit to the number of words in a sentence.

Beginning last year , Phuong started a class which runs every evening during the summer holiday so that children have time to participate. There are about 25 students from the ages of 9-16, with the youngest one trekking through the darkness from two hills over to join the class. He has detailed lesson plans and concentrates on 43 different songs. He also teaches Pu Y language and some Vietnamese.

To give an example of what he teaches his students, Phuong sings a passage from the song, Our fates don’t match. His voice breaks the peaceful silence with the sad refrain:

"My darling, I am very sorry and sad
I am very sorry because our fate doesn’t suit each other
I am very sad because our fate doesn’t match
Our fate doesn’t suit each other so we can’t eat from the same pot
Our fate doesn’t match so we can’t eat from the same pan
Our fate doesn’t coincide so we can’t stay in the same house."

Phuong has the support from community leaders who respect his work, but who do not have any extra funds to compensate him for it. For now, just knowing he is playing a part in keeping his culture alive is enough.

(Source: VNS)
Copyright of VietNamNet Bridge

VIET NAM: Man, 65, claims he hasn’t eaten in 15 years, but remains alive and well

HANOI (Viet Nam News), June 15, 2008: By Thanh Hieu A man in the southern city of Can Tho has been eating nothing for the last 15 years. He survives – and is, in fact, in good shape – on strong green tea with ice and sugar. Phan Tan Loc, 65, a resident of O Mon District’s Phuoc Thoi Ward, got tired of eating when he was around 50. He says food made him nauseous. He tried and rejected at various times rice crust from the bottom of the pot, dried coconut, iced coffee, and tea with peanut-sprinkled candy. He finally hit upon strong tea with ice and sugar and has stuck to it. His family took him to hospital where he was diagnosed with "digestive disorder" and prescribed medicines. Loc says: "I get annoyed and leave immediately if anybody forces me to eat." Copyright by Viet Nam News

VIET NAM: Internet surfing all the rage with elderly

HANOI (Viet Nam News), May 28, 2008: by Trung Hieu Mai Xuan Thinh is not your typical internet surfer. In fact the 70-year-old retiree would look a lot more at home doing tai chi in the park. But despite entering a domain dominated by the young, Thinh, a resident on Truong Chinh Street, insists that learning how to use the internet has really brightened up his life. "The internet is really marvellous," he enthuses. "I asked my young neighbour, who’s a student, to help me access the web." After a few lessons and some help from his son Mai Anh Phuc, Thinh is now an expert in using search tools such as Google. With the click of a button he can absorb himself with the world online. Thinh is not the only person picking up computer skills later in life. Ninety-year-old music teacher Vinh Bao, born in Dong Thap Province, has been using the internet since he was 86. Thanks to his good command of English, Bao found it easy to use the computer, but having good instructors also helped. "I have many "teachers" who are neighbouring children. When they teach me, I take notes and practise new skills immediately." Bao now uses a webcam to teach music across the world via the internet. Bao and his students use special software to record pieces of music, and send them to each other. His students range from five to 82 years old, they are both Vietnamese and foreigners. "Overseas Vietnamese learn traditional Vietnamese music because they want to feel connected with the national culture. Foreigners learn it because they are interested in the musical heritage of Southern Viet Nam." Meeting the rising demand among the elderly to learn computer skills, HCM City’s Economic Institute’s Centre for Economic Consultancy and Application recently opened training courses free of charge for old people. The classes, held in Tan Dinh Ward, District No 1, have 16 learners each. Every learner has their own computer and a trainer, most of whom are university students. The course was an instant hit. Since April, the Centre has attracted 1,086 learners, most of whom are over 60 years old, employee at the centre Khong Minh Giang says. "Many are retired State employees, veterans, and members of clubs for the elderly. There are a lot of old xe om (motorbike taxi) drivers and lottery sellers. A lot of them want to go onto to the advanced course once they finish the basic course." The courses have drawn attention from beyond HCM City, with old people applying from outlying districts such as Binh Chanh, and nearby provinces Binh Duong and Tay Ninh. But despite their enthusiasm, teaching elderly people internet skills is not a walk in the park, trainer at the centre Le Anh Trieu says. "They lack basic knowledge, their memory has become weak, and most of them do not know English. So we have to be very patient. We also have to be very polite and compliant, because many of the learners are quite fussy." One rice farmer from nearby Binh Duong Province pores over websites on rice cultivation, others search for their favourite football teams or more serious topics like Alzheimers. It seems there’s something for everyone on the world wide web. The internet also provides instant gratification, 83-year-old Nguyen Van Minh says. "The internet is terrific! It has everything, and it is quicker than TV or newspapers. After I finish this course I’ll definitely buy my own computer with internet connection." The internet is also an easy way to keep in touch, which is also a big plus point for old people, IT student and trainer at the centre Phan Phuc Thinh says. "Firstly old people like reading on the Internet. Then they use it to chat and send emails. Our learners practise these with their classmates and then with people outside the classroom." One of the courses’ biggest success stories is 67-year-old Nguyen Van Thuan, resident in District No 5. After finishing the course early this year, Thuan went home to set up his own blog "Dinh Cong Tu," which gets regular hits and comments from young people. It seems taking part in a pass time usually dominated by the young can have a rejuvenating effect. "The internet can spark new passion in old people. It gives us a new lease of life," Thuan says. — VNS Copyright by Viet Nam News

VIET NAM: In a previous life, I was Vietnamese, says Japanese businessman

HA NOI (CPV - Viet Name Bridge), March 17, 2008:

Some foreigners have an intrinsic love of Viet Nam, but the most serious one is Hidenhiko Nakagawa. Seeking business opportunities this Japanese man soon fell in love with Vietnam and felt happy living in Viet Nam.

You have a special love for Vietnam. Could you tell us why Viet Nam is special?

Have been to 45 nations. I fell in love at first sight with Viet Nam when I came here. My wife and I first travelled to Viet Nam in June 2006. I had a feeling that in a previous life, I was Vietnamese and now I seemed to be returning to my home country. I did not much know about the country, but had a strong feeling that Viet Nam was my second homeland.

In November 2006, I came back to Viet Nam with 8 other Japanese businessmen. I had convinced them to take a fact-finding trip to Viet Nam for investment. I loved Viet Nam and wanted other Japanese to love Viet Nam too. I want Viet Nam to become as developed and prosperous as Japan. If any country is richer than Japan, I wish it to be Viet Nam.

Your key aim is business. If you had failed to find any business prospects in Viet Nam, would you still love Viet Nam as much as you do?

Viet Nam strongly attracted me. I first came here for business. Besides material benefits, there is human feeling. I lived and succeeded in business in the US, but I did not love that nation. I have yet to be successful in Viet Nam; however, I do love Viet Nam. That is the free choice of my heart.

It is Vietnamese people who inspire me. During trips to more than 20 provinces and cities across Viet Nam, I found people are are good-hearted. The vitality of Viet Nam 's young generation impresses. Their faces express cheerfulness, liveliness, studiousness and determination for success. They are different from today’s Japanese youth.

Today Japan is a nation with an ageing population and faces a shortage of young people. That is a threat to Japan’s labour force. Japanese youth tend to leave behind tradition and national identity and follow a modern and pragmatic way of living. In the post-war days, our ancestors enthusiastically constructed Japan. Today’s youth are already well-equipped. Therefore, their determination and creative aspiration is less than before. That is a threat we are trying to solve.

Viet Nam is still poor. Vietnamese youth are industrious, keen on studying, grasp information and expertise from developed countries. That is Vietnam’s strength and vital force.

Since starting business in Vietnam in late 2006, I founded Nhat Tinh Viet Company to provide advice for Japanese businessmen who want to invest in Viet Nam. Profit is not our target. I am really happy to see more Japanese investment in Viet Nam. That is because “I love Viet Nam”.

My father, an expert with 40 years experiences at Mitsubishi bank, loves Viet Nam too. He has accepted an invitation to work as a counselor for a business in Viet Nam.
This summer, my wife and three sons will settle down in Vietnam. My children will study in international high schools and universities here, while my wife will teach computer science to the elderly. I will open a Japanese cultural centre in Ho Chi Minh City to teach Japanese language, Japanese martial arts and other arts.

I wait for implementation of the newly ratified policy allowing foreigners to legally buy houses in Vietnam, so that I can own one. It is on the way.

Source: CPV