Browse Ageing Policies

The "Bill C-64, An Act Respecting Pharmacare (Pharmacare Act)" was introduced by the Government of Canada on February 29, 2024 to establish the foundational principles for national universal pharmacare. Implemented at the national level and led by the Minister of Health, this proposed legislation targets all Canadians, aiming to ensure universal, single-payer, first-dollar coverage for key medications, initially focusing on contraception and diabetes medications. Key measures include a commitment to collaborate with provinces and territories to provide comprehensive coverage and the establishment of a fund supporting access to diabetic devices and supplies. The Act mandates the Canadian Drug Agency to develop a national formulary and a bulk purchasing strategy for cost-effective drug procurement. It also calls for a pan-Canadian strategy on appropriate prescription drug use. Additionally, the Minister of Health is tasked with forming a committee of experts to make recommendations on the operation and financing of a single-payer pharmacare model. By reducing financial barriers to essential medications, the Act addresses the healthcare needs of older persons, who often face higher medication costs due to age-related health conditions.

The "Improving Affordable Access to Prescription Drugs (IAAPD) Initiative in Prince Edward Island (PEI)" was introduced by the Government of Canada in partnership with the Government of PEI on August 11, 2021. Implemented at the provincial level in PEI, this initiative targets Island residents who experience high prescription costs, particularly uninsured individuals, older persons, and families with significant drug expenses. It aims to enhance access to affordable prescription drugs and contribute to the groundwork for a national universal pharmacare program. Key measures include $35 million in federal funding from 2021-22 to 2025-26, which supports the addition of new drugs to PEI’s formulary and lowers out-of-pocket costs for medications covered under provincial plans. Effective June 1, 2023, PEI reduced copays to $5 for nearly 60% of regularly used medications and expanded access to its High-Cost Drug Program. Additionally, as of July 1, 2023, the Catastrophic Drug Program was adjusted to lower the annual out-of-pocket cap on eligible medication costs for households. This partnership between the Government of Canada and PEI continues to improve affordability and access to prescription drugs for those who experience the most vulnerability, including uninsured Island residents, older persons, and families with high drug costs.

The "Home Accessibility Tax Credit" was introduced in 2015 by the Department of Finance Canada. Implemented at the national level by the Canada Revenue Agency, this policy targets persons with disabilities who are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit and adults aged 65 and older, aiming to support home modifications that improve accessibility and safety. The tax credit provides a non-refundable 15% credit on up to $20,000 of eligible renovation or alteration expenses per calendar year, allowing qualifying individuals and their eligible family members to claim these expenses on their tax return. Eligible expenses include home renovations or alterations that help qualifying individuals access their home, increase mobility and functionality within it, or reduce the risk of harm within or around the dwelling. The eligible dwelling must be the principal residence of the qualifying individual and can be owned by the individual, their spouse or common-law partner, or an eligible family member. In 2020, approximately 32,000 individuals claimed this credit, with a total program cost of roughly $15 million CAD, helping to enable ageing in place and enhance the quality of life for qualifying Canadians.

The "Age Well at Home (AWAH)" initiative was introduced in2021 by the Government of Canada in 202 as a $90 million federal grants and contributions program aimed at helping older Canadians to age in place, scheduled to run until 2025-26. Implemented at the national level and led by Employment and Social Development Canada, this initiative targets low-income and vulnerable older persons. It aims to provide practical in-home supports and expand successful ageing-in-place programs to improve quality of life for those wishing to remain at home. Key measures include two streams of activity: the In-Home Practical Supports Pilot Projects stream and the Scaling Up for Seniors stream. Under the In-Home Practical Supports Pilot Projects stream, eligible organizations deliver volunteer-based support services such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation, and assistance with navigating local services to vulnerable older persons. Meanwhile, the Scaling Up for Seniors stream allows organizations to expand regional and national projects that have shown success in helping older persons to age at home, fostering innovation and identifying effective new approaches.

The "Pension Provision in the Russian Federation" was established in 2018 by the Government of the Russian Federation to secure a sustainable and equitable pension system. Implemented at the national level, this policy covers the entire Russian population, ensuring 100% of citizens are either receiving pensions or entitled to them upon meeting eligibility criteria. It targets both working-age citizens approaching retirement and current pensioners, primarily those aged 60 and above. This system, based on compulsory pension insurance, aims to balance revenues and expenditures to provide a socially acceptable pension level. Key measures include the provision of insurance pensions, categorized into retirement, disability, and survivor pensions, which are funded through a nearly entirely distributive (solidarity) model. For those who lack eligibility for insurance pensions, social pensions are provided. Additionally, Federal Law No. 350-FZ, enacted in 2018, strengthens the system’s financial stability to ensure sustainable pension increases, with plans for indexation above inflation rates and a 7.3% increase in insurance pensions by January 2025. The government also guarantees that non-working pensioners’ incomes meet the subsistence minimum in their region, and all pension benefits are adjusted annually based on investment returns, ensuring a steady growth in pension levels over time.

The "Active Longevity" Action Plan aims to enhance the well-being and quality of life of older citizens. The primary objectives include improving the financial status of older adults, increasing their employment opportunities, providing family support, enhancing health-care services, and promoting social integration through leisure activities and modernizing public consciousness around ageing. The plan also focuses on strengthening the social services sector and providing emergency support for older individuals. The plan was initiated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Kazakhstan, with technical assistance provided by UNFPA in Kazakhstan. The plan covers all regions of Kazakhstan, targeting older population, their families, and relevant support systems. The initiatives aim to affect multiple sectors including health care, social services, and employment. One of the central elements of the plan is the establishment of "Active Longevity Centres" across Kazakhstan's regions. The Department of Social Assistance Policy Development is required to submit a consolidated report on the progress of the Action Plan's implementation to the Minister annually, no later than February 15 of the year following the reporting year. The action plan was approved on February 22, 2021, and will be implemented until 2025.

The Programme of Socio-economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for 2021–2025, approved by Presidential Decree No. 292 on July 29, 2021, aims to create conditions for the growth of citizens' well-being, ensure comfortable living standards in all regions of the country, and promote the development of human potential. A key focus of the program is the further advancement of non-residential social service technologies, including caregiver services, home-based social care, and support for isolated older individuals. As part of this initiative, at least 25 new structural units will be established within territorial social service centres, and more than 40 state social service institutions will undergo reconstruction and major renovations. Additionally, local government bodies will expand their efforts to provide household assistance and additional social support to war veterans, isolated older persons, and other socially vulnerable groups. Through these measures, the program seeks to enhance the accessibility and quality of social services, thereby contributing to improved social welfare and the overall quality of life for all citizens.

The Government Decision no. 426/2020 on the approval of cost standards aims to approve cost standards for the financing of social services provided by public social service providers. The policy involves the Romanian Government, specifically the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Ministry of Public Works, Development, and Administration, and the Ministry of Public Finance. The policy has a national scope, affecting local budgets and state budget revenues for social services across Romania. It targets social service beneficiaries, including children, adults with disabilities, older persons, and victims of family violence. The policy outlines cost standards for various social services, such as residential services for children and older persons, home care services for older persons, and services to prevent and combat family violence. It includes specific cost standards per beneficiary per year and stipulates that personnel expenses should not exceed 80% of the cost standard. The decision was enacted in 2020.

The Extraordinary extension of unemployment benefit and social benefit was a policy introduced in order to provide financial support to those affected by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to extend unemployment benefits and social security benefits to ensure subsistence minima for individuals who have lost their income due to the crisis. The policy was implemented by the Government of Portugal, with the legislative framework provided by Decree Law No. 10-F/2020. The main stakeholders were the unemployed individuals, social benefit recipients, and the social security system of Portugal. This policy was national in scope, applying across Portugal. It targeted unemployed individuals and recipients of social benefits, ensuring they continued to receive financial support during the pandemic period. The policy included the extraordinary extension of unemployment benefits and all benefits of the social security system that guarantee minimum subsistence levels. It also suspended the evaluation of conditions (means test) for maintaining these benefits. The observed impact included providing a safety net for those whose income was disrupted due to the pandemic. It helped in preventing social hardship during a time of crisis. The policy was temporary, with the timeframe set from 12 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.

The Social Enterprise Support Fund has the primary objective to support the development and expansion of social enterprises, particularly those employing individuals from disadvantaged groups. This includes subsidizing activities, creating new jobs, and covering social and health insurance costs. The fund is managed by the government of Albania, namely the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, with additional support from donors and international financial institutions. Key stakeholders include social enterprises and disadvantaged groups. The fund targets social enterprises across Albania, focusing on sectors that employ disadvantaged individuals. It aims to create new job opportunities and support the sustainability of social enterprises. Key features of the fund include subsidies for social enterprise activities up to 135,000,000 ALL. The fund also includes job creation subsidies up to 100,000 ALL per new job, with a maximum of 20 new jobs per enterprise. Additionally, there are social and health insurance subsidies up to 100% coverage for employees from disadvantaged groups, which include older employees. With regards to implementation, payments are made in two installments (70% upon approval and 30% upon project completion). Social enterprises must submit a business plan and meet specific conditions, such as hiring at least three new employees from disadvantaged groups within 12 months. The policy was adopted for the period 2019–2021.

The Law on Labour stipulates that the employment relationship with the worker terminates by force of law once an employee reaches 65 years of age with at least 15 years of insurance (general condition for termination of employment). However, those persons who have exercised the right to an old-age pension before reaching the age of 65 have the opportunity to re-establish employment on the basis of an employment contract and to work until they reach the age of 65. Beneficiaries of an old-age pension over the age of 65 have the possibility to be employed and to continue working on the basis of a temporary and occasional employment contract and an employment contract.

The Ministry of Labour - Interministerial Decree of 7 April 2016 for the experimentation of "subsidized part time" close to the old age pension was initiated in 2016 and active until 2018. It focuses on facilitating the transition to part-time work for private-sector employees nearing retirement. It was jointly developed and implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies and the Ministry of Economy and Finance at the national level. The policy specifically targets private sector employees close to retirement age who have met the minimum contribution requirements for the old-age pension. Key features include the experimental measure which allowed individuals close to retirement (with no more than 3 years remaining before their old-age pension) to opt for a reduction in working hours, ranging from 40% to 60%. Employers compensate employees with a sum equivalent to the pension contributions for the reduced hours, while the state ensures that the employees' pension rights remain intact through figurative contributions. The policy had financial resources capped at specific annual limits, with a maximum limit of €60 million for 2016, €120 million for 2017, and €60 million for 2018.

The law aims to support the well-being and social inclusion of individuals and families in need of social care, respecting their human rights and dignity. The law is developed by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, and covers all individuals and families in need of social care in Albania, especially older persons aged 60 and over. The law addresses the challenges and opportunities of aging, such as health, social care, social protection, social inclusion, participation, and empowerment. The law determines the types, benefits, and facilities of social care services, the conditions and procedures to access them, and the role and responsibilities of public and non-public bodies that provide them. The law defines four types of social care services: residential, community, pre-social, and homecare services. The law also establishes specialized, telephone, or online consulting services for specific categories of beneficiaries. The law is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, with a steering committee, a technical secretariat, and a monitoring and evaluation system. The law is aligned with the national and international frameworks and commitments on aging, such as the Madrid Plan, the SDGs, and the EU policies and programs. The law was adopted in 2016.

Law 4093/2012 aimed to introduce significant amendments to the pension system, particularly focusing on the reduction of pension benefits and the conditions for pension eligibility, while law 4336/2015 aimed to implement comprehensive pension reforms as part of Greece's financial assistance programme, focusing on ensuring the sustainability of the pension system. The main institution involved is the Greek Government, with key stakeholders including pensioners, the Ministry of Labor, the European Stability Mechanism, and social security funds. Both laws are national in scope, affecting all pensioners and future retirees within Greece. It targets the public and private sectors, impacting the financial stability of pensioners. Law 4093/2012 mandated reductions in pension benefits, particularly for higher-income pensioners and introduced stricter conditions for pension eligibility, including changes to the retirement age and contribution periods. On the other hand, law 4336/2015 introduced new measures to reduce pension expenditure, including changes to pension calculation formulas and benefit reductions and increases in pension contributions for both employees and employers. The laws were enacted in November 2012 and in August 2015, respectively.

The Home Care Assistance Regulation has the purpose to establish the procedures and principles for providing home care assistance to individuals with disabilities who require care, as outlined in the Social Services Law No. 2828. The policy is implemented by the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. It applies to individuals with disabilities whose household income per capita is less than two-thirds of the monthly net minimum wage. It covers home care assistance for these individuals across Türkiye. Some of the main features of the policy are its eligibility criteria (individuals must have a health report indicating their need for care and must be unable to perform daily activities independently), caregiver requirements (caregivers must be 18 years or older and can be a relative or legal guardian), financial assistance (monthly payments are made to caregivers based on a specific calculation involving the civil servant monthly coefficient). The policy includes regular assessments and reports by a designated committee to ensure compliance and effectiveness. It also features provisions for older individuals who are dependent on others for daily activities, ensuring they receive the necessary home care support. The policy was adopted on May 26, 2023.

The Concept of Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Tajikistan has the purpose to reform the social protection system in Tajikistan to better support vulnerable populations during the transition to a market economy. The main institution involved is the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, with directives coming from the President, Emomali Rahmon. The concept targets the entire population of Tajikistan, with a focus on the most vulnerable groups. It aims to address social protection and social guarantees at a national level. The concept includes the development of a new Concept of Social Protection, which outlines state measures for social protection over the coming years. Specific strategies involve reforming the existing social protection system to create a competitive economy and ensure social stability. Measures targeting older persons are part of the broader social protection reforms. The concept will be implemented through a series of state measures and reforms as outlined in the new Concept of Social Protection. According to the source provided, the concept is currently being prepared and has not yet been adopted.