Support for lonely older people
This is the most note-worthy aspect of Circular No 30 issued by theMinistry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs on Oct.21, 2005.
According to this Circular, older people (60 years old and above) living inGovernment’s social protection centers are to be supported in personal belongings, appliances for daily life, common medication and funeral expenses. TheCommunity-based support of65,000 VND fer person per month is applied for the following 3 groups: 90 years old and above without pension and social support pension, 60 years old and above with severe disability, poor and unable to work; older people living with spouse, without supporter and from a poor household.
In addition to themonthly support, older people are exempted from contribution to natural calamity preventation fund, defense and security fund and social charity fund; they also enjoy a convenient seats in public buses, trains, cultural performance, sport events and in taking excursions. If they can creat employment and generate income, the commune People’s Committee is to provide them with soft loans. Especially, people of 90 years old and above are given free health ensurance cards with the same value equal as the poor people’s cards or given free health check-up and treatment.
