xinhuanet (26.12.2017)  Shanghai will launch a long-term care insurance program in 2018, expected to benefit three million elderly people, local authorities said Tuesday. Shanghai, one of the 15 pilot cities in China to implement long-term care insurance, carried out the program on a pilot basis in three districts of Xuhui, Putuo and Jinshan in 2017. About 25,000 elderly people applied for care services and 14,000 of them became beneficiaries. From 2018, urban and rural residents who are aged 60 and older, and are recipients of health care insurance, can participate in the program.

rand.org (2012) Old-age disability and long-term care (LTC) have not yet been well studied in China. Using logistic regressions and a prevalence ratio projection model, and considering international practices, this dissertation addresses three research questions: What are the key risk factors for old-age disability in China? What are the projected numbers of older adults with disabilities in China in future decades through 2050?

The Manila Times  (19.02.2018) Investing in the employment of young people is important to poverty reduction and the country’s inclusive economic growth, according to an Asian Development Bank (ADB) Brief. The paper said youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) and slow in school-to-work transition is a challenge in the Philippines and the Southeast Asia and Pacific region.

The world economy has strengthened as lingering fragilities related to the global financial crisis subside. In 2017, global economic growth reached 3 per cent—the highest growth rate since 2011—and growth is expected to remain steady for the coming year.  The improved global economic situation provides an opportunity for countries to focus policy towards longer-term issues such as low carbon economic growth, reducing inequalities, economic diversification and eliminating deep-rooted barriers that hinder development.

There’s a need for better access to medical technology in the region—a forward-looking approach will help companies reach more patients.

The World Bank’s ASPIRE online tool is the most up-to-date compilation of global social protection and labor (SPL) estimates, including data from 120 countries—mostly in the developing world. ASPIRE provides open and accessible household-level data on populations’ social and economic status; assessments of SPL programs, including weaknesses such as low coverage and poor targeting; SPL program impacts on poverty and inequality; and ways to improve household data collection for SPL programs.

ESCAP works to improve the use of statistics for evidence-based decision-making and to develop and disseminate quality statistics for inclusive, sustainable and resilient societies in the ESCAP region. Quality statistics, that is statistics that are relevant, accurate, timely, value for money, accessible to all and free from political interference are the foundation for good governance.
ESCAP provides analyses of development trends and emerging issues that enhance understanding among decision-makers and members of the public in the region.

AgeingAsia.org is an initiative of HelpAge International network members in Asia Pacific. It is coordinated by HelpAge International's Asia Pacific Regional Office.

Open access repository with Knowledge from Asia’s Top Think Tanks. Jointly developed and produced by Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program and the Asian Development Bank Institute.

The SPI database was developed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as a repository of country-level data on social protection programs e.g., social insurance, social assistance and labor market programs in Asia and the Pacific. The main objective is to have an internationally comparable database of government-financed social protection programs including expenditure, coverage, size of benefits and distributional impact on poverty and gender.