The 3rd ASEAN Conference on Healthy Longevity is being held in Penang, Malaysia, starting today. ASEAN is currently one of the fastest-aging regions in the world. The World Health Organization and the United Nations are proactively advocating for “integrated care for the elderly” in this region. This conference has invited many international scholars, including Dr. Liang-Kung Chen, director of Taipei City Guandu Hospital, who is the only invited expert from Taiwan. He delivered the keynote speech at the opening session, sharing research on the practical implementation of the “Integrated Care for Older People” (ICOPE) initiative and Taiwan’s experiences.

The full name of ICOPE is “Integrated Care for Older People.” It includes five functional assessments that can be conducted at home to detect health warnings for the elderly. These five functions include cognitive function, mobility, vitality, sensory (vision and hearing), and emotional and psychological well-being. Dr. Chen shared his team’s pioneering ICOPE series research, which garnered significant attention from the 600 attendees and relevant government officials and scholars.

The conference received support not only from the Penang local government but also from the central government of Malaysia. During the opening ceremony, Conference Chairperson Shahrul Bahyah binti Kamaruzzaman specifically welcomed Dr. Chen’s participation. Taiwan is one of the few countries promoting age-friendly cities nationwide, and Dr. Chen is an internationally recognized expert with significant contributions to ICOPE research in Asia. He also collaborates closely with the team implementing the INSPIRE project, supported by the WHO, to share Taiwan’s experience with ICOPE, offering valuable insights to ASEAN countries.

In addition to developed Western countries, which are actively responding due to higher levels of population aging, developing countries with faster aging rates are also increasingly engaged. Many of the fastest-aging developing countries are in Asia, including the ten Southeast Asian countries—Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, and Malaysia—that make up the “Association of Southeast Asian Nations” (ASEAN). With support from the WHO, ASEAN is proactively implementing policies for its 670 million people to address future challenges.

The above is excerpted from a report by United Daily News reporter Shen Neng-yuan. For the full article, please see:https://udn.com/news/story/7266/8129289