There, the elderly live happily and healthily, proactively, have a cohesive community, are cared for according to their needs and enjoy old age fully.
Every morning in the suburbs of Seremban, Malaysia, Ms. Peri Menon, 70 years old, starts her day with a few rounds around the swimming pool in the resort, then leisurely enjoys breakfast looking out at the green hillside. In the afternoon, she reads books in the library or strolls with her husband around the campus. When the sun sets, they go to the bar on the rooftop, watching the distant town gradually sink into the twilight.
We didn't have time to feel bored. Everything passed very smoothly," Ms. Menon shared.
Thousands of kilometers away, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Mr. Robert Huang - 89 years old, Canadian nationality - is also living peacefully in a high-class nursing home. The management arranges nurses to speak Mandarin, invites Tai Chi masters to teach privately, and even hires Taiwanese (Chinese) chefs to guide staff to cook dishes according to their favorite tastes.
This place is like heaven to me," Mr. Huang said.
Such stories are becoming increasingly common in Southeast Asia. A new generation of elderly people is emerging. They are still healthy, still need social communication and do not accept old age as synonymous with dependence. What they are looking for is not a "care place", but a comfortable living space, convenient services and closeness to nature.
When nursing becomes a market
Population aging is increasing throughout Southeast Asia. According to ASEAN data, the proportion of people aged 65 and over in the region has increased from 5.4% in 2005 to 8.2% in 2024. This reality forces countries to seek more flexible old age care models.
In that context, advanced nursing gradually forms like a new market. Development models are quite diverse, from independent living communities for dynamic elderly people to flexible care areas according to health conditions, or nursing centers combining resorts and healthcare.
The difference lies in the approach. Instead of focusing on illness or physical decline, high-end models focus on quality of life and experience. The space is designed open, with many green trees, common living areas, exercise classes, libraries, restaurants - amenities that make the elderly's accommodation more like a resort than a nursing home.
Dr. Chia Hui Xiang, a health policy researcher at the National University of Singapore, commented: "High-class nursing homes bring landscape, slow pace of life and connection with nature - something that big cities find very difficult to have." According to her, many elderly people approach high-class nursing homes with the mindset of enjoying after a working life, not the feeling of being "taken away" by their children.
ReU Living is one of the modern rehabilitation centers in Malaysia, located on the campus of a 5-star hotel in the center of Kuala Lumpur. Ms. Estee Tan - CEO of ReU Living - said that they serve both independent living needs and health care support. Most of the 65 residents of the center use one of the forms of care. “If they can still drive or shop on their own, they will not choose traditional nursing homes,” Ms. Estee Tan said.
Therefore, the "continuous care" model is increasingly being concerned. Penang Retirement Resort is one of the units that follows this direction, allowing residents to start life as independent elderly people, switch to supportive living when their health changes, and can return to a self-reliant lifestyle if the situation improves.
These models show that old age in Southeast Asia is being visualized in many different ways - from resorts, recovery, to independent lives with support when needed.
Cost problem
Although opening up many new choices, the high-end nursing segment still raises many concerns about accessibility. These models mainly meet the needs of wealthy elderly people with economic conditions, while for the majority remaining, choices are still limited. The gap between high-end nursing and traditional care systems is posing a challenge to social justice, especially when the rate of population aging is faster than the adaptability of policies.
Even programs considered "friendly" to retirees in the region are not for the majority. For example, in Malaysia, the Malaysia My Second Home visa program - which targets elderly foreigners who want to live for a long time - requires applicants to meet strict financial criteria, including a minimum fixed deposit of 150,000 USD (equivalent to 3.9 billion VND) and the obligation to buy valuable real estate. These conditions show that the cost to access a "standard resort" retirement life is still a major barrier for the majority of elderly people, even in countries considered to have relatively comfortable living costs.
Thailand, the country with the second highest rate of people over 65 years old in ASEAN and expected to become a super-aging society by 2031, is emerging as a nursing destination. High-end facilities such as Vivobene in Chiang Mai mainly serve international retirees, with monthly fees ranging from 3,000 - 4,900 USD (about 78 million to 127 million VND), in exchange for high-class care standards and isolated living space. At the same time, a chain of 17 Baan Lalisa branded facilities focusing on nursing care for Thai people reflects increasing pressure on the domestic care system. The demand is so high that many facilities achieve occupancy rates after only a few months of operation.
Indonesia is also entering a period of rapid aging, but the field of elderly care is still young. In addition to some models serving the middle and wealthy classes in major cities, the market still lacks diverse choices. One of the establishments that can be mentioned is the Rukun Senior Living area, located in Sentul, south of Jakarta. This complex includes villas and apartments, along with amenities such as swimming pools, fishing pools, saunas and landscape gardens. Service fees are about 1,300 USD (about 33 million VND) per month, mainly serving domestic customers.
Bali is an exception, as its tourism reputation and medical infrastructure help this island be expected to become a nursing destination in the future, attracting domestic and foreign tourists, although the number of specialized facilities is still very small.
Meanwhile, Singapore shows a different approach. Public models such as Kampung Admiralty or community care apartments help the elderly have affordable choices, but the supply is still limited. In the opposite direction, the private market provides high-end nursing projects with costs ranging from 1,500 USD to 4,500 USD per month (equivalent to 39 million to 117 million VND), highlighting the clear stratification in life choices in old age.
Senior nursing in Southeast Asia is opening up a different perspective on old age: Considering it a period of life worth investing in and being carefully calculated. However, this model is still mainly for the group of elderly people with economic conditions, so long-term accessibility is still open.
As life expectancy lengthens, the question is no longer where the elderly will live, but how many choices do they have to live their final years in the way they want.
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