Parallel Sessions

As populations age, the Silver Economy is becoming an increasingly important source of economic activity and opportunity across Asia. The discussion will consider older people’s consumption, economic contributions and emerging national approaches. Participants will gain insights into its potential and how enabling environments can support older people as both consumers and economic contributors.

Moderator

• Sun Yuling, Professor, Fudan University, China

Presentation

• The Silver Economy in Asia: Realizing Opportunities and Overcoming Barriers Philip O'Keefe, Professor of Practice, University of New South Wales Centre for Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), Australia
• Recent Development of Silver Economy in China Peng Xizhe, Director, Institute on Ageing, Fudan University, China / Vice President, Fudan Development Research Institute
• Integrated Redesign for a Successful Longevity Society and Economy Wei Yang Cheong, Vice Provost (Strategic Research Partnerships), Singapore Management University
• Unlocking the Silver Economy: Asia-Pacific’s Next Growth Frontier Camilo Gudmalin, Commissioner, National Commission of Senior Citizens, Philippines

Employment, productive engagement and income security in later life are important foundations of the Silver Economy. Drawing on different experiences across Asia, the discussion will explore how older people generate income and contribute economically. Participants will consider policies and workplace practices that support longer working lives, financial security and continued economic participation.

Moderator

• Maliki, Vice Minister, Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia

Presentation

• Labor Force Participation and Financial Preparedness at Older Ages in Asia Aiko Kikkawa, Principal Economist, Asian Development Bank, Philippines
• Trends in Old-Age Income in China: Evidence from CHARLS 2011/12–2025 Zhao Yaohui, Professor, School of Economics at the Dongfureng Institute of Social and Economic Development and School of Economics and Management at Wuhan University, China
• Healthy Enough to Work? Health, Work Capacity, and Income Security in an Ageing Korea Sungchul Park, Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Korea University, Republic of Korea
• Silver Economy in Vietnam: Potential and Issues in Labor and Social Protection Perspectives Long Thanh Giang, Professor, National Economics University, Vietnam

Discussant

• Sustaining the Passion of Youth, Savouring the Joy of Work Xie Guandou, Pre-Vice President, Shanghai Juling Digital Technology (Group) Co., Ltd., China
• An Initial Exploration of Digitizing Older People’s Intellectual and Life Assets Wu Hanzhang, Founder, The "Old Kids" Community / Director, Shanghai Technology for Elderly Care Center, China
• Usa Khiewrord, Head of International Relations, Foundation for Older Persons' Development (FOPDEV), Thailand

How can social protection provide financial security in later life while remaining sustainable and equitable across generations? The discussion will consider pension coverage, informal workers, family support and different financing approaches. Participants will gain insights into policy options that strengthen protection for older people while balancing the needs and responsibilities of different generations.

Moderator

• Philip O'Keefe, Professor of Practice, University of New South Wales Centre for Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), Australia

Presentation

• Old-Age Support Systems in Asia Sang-Hyop Lee, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Hawaii; Chair, Global NTA Network, USA
• China’s Multi-pillar Pension Benefits and Adequacy of Retirement Wealth Feng Jin, Distinguished Professor, Fudan University, China
• Expanding Pension Coverage among Informal Workers: India’s Experience with the Atal Pension Yojana Harsh Kothari, Social Protection Specialist, World Bank, India
• Thailand’s Pension Schemes for Informal Sector Workers Nonarit Bisonyabut, Senior Fellow, Thailand Development Research Institute Foundation (TDRI), Thailand
• Social Pensions in Asia and the Pacific: Evidence on the Feasibility, Affordability and Impact of Ensuring Income Security for All in Older Age Florian Juergens-Grant, Social Protection Adviser, HelpAge International

Older people’s changing needs, preferences and purchasing power are creating new opportunities across Asian markets. From health and care to finance, tourism, food, housing and leisure, the discussion will examine emerging areas of demand. Participants will explore how businesses and policymakers can respond to diverse older consumers and encourage inclusive innovation.

Moderator

• Abhijit Visaria, Technical Advisor, Population Dynamics, UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office

Presentation

• Older Consumers in Asymmetric Ageing Asia: From Silver Consumption to Smart Care Across Three Market Stages Ding Hans, Founder and CEO, iZhaohu AI-Care, China
• Silver Economy Report by Ageing Asia Janice Chia, Founder and Managing Director, Ageing Asia

Panelist

• “Taiping Enjoy Home” Home-Based Elderly Care Service System Li Sihua, Assistant General Manager (Designate), Taiping Life Insurance Co., Ltd., China
• Tongcheng Travel’s Efforts in Silver Economy Yin Shuhu, Vice President, Tongcheng Travel Group, China
• Public Welfare Driven Elderly Technology Incubation Liu Yushan, Business Director, Tencent SSV Time Lab, China Sessions

Digital transformation brings new opportunities, but many older people continue to face barriers related to connectivity, affordability and digital literacy. The discussion will highlight effective policies, intergenerational approaches and the potential of AI to improve accessibility. Participants will learn how meaningful digital participation can be expanded without excluding those who rely on non-digital services.

Moderator

• Sabine Henning, Chief, Sustainable Demographic Transition Section, Social Development Division, ESCAP

Presentation

• Embodied Intelligence Empowers the Innovation of Smart Elderly Care Services Luo Dingsheng, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, School of Intelligence Science and Technology, Peking University, China
• Trust Before Technology: Lifelong Learning, Intergenerational Design and University-Community Partnership for Digital Inclusion in Thailand Nuttee Suree, Associate Professor and Director, School of Lifelong Education, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
• Community-Based Digital Inclusion for Older Persons in Central Asia: Lessons from Kyrgyzstan Nurdin Satarov, Project Coordinator, Resource Centre for the Elderly, Kyrgyzstan
• From Digital Access to Digital Agency: Towards Age-Inclusive Digital Ecosystems through Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships – Experiences and Lessons from India Rohit Prasad, Chief Executive Officer, HelpAge India, India
• AI for Every Age: From Digital Divide to Digital Dividend Karen Siew Lin Wee, Executive Director, Lions Befrienders Service Association, Singapore

Respondent

• Napaphat Satchanawakul, Social Affairs Officer, ESCAP

From digital health and diagnostics to assistive and smart-home technologies, innovation is opening new possibilities for healthy ageing, care and independent living. Participants will explore what makes these technologies accessible, affordable and scalable, and how they can be integrated into health and care systems while safeguarding older people’s dignity, choice and autonomy.

Moderator

• Hiromasa Okayasu, Director, Data, Strategy and Innovation, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific

Presentation

• Clinical Research on Geriatric Multimorbidity: Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence-Driven Early Screening and Intervention Cao Feng, Director, Institute of Geriatrics, Second Medical Centre of the Chinese PLA General Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, China
• Intelligent Management of Perioperative Safety in Older Patients Wang Jingtong, Vice President, Professor and Chief Physician, Peking University People’s Hospital; Vice President, Peking University People’s Hospital (Shijiazhuang Hospital), China
• Building an Integrated Long-Term Care and Time Bank Platform under Digital Intelligence Chen Gong, Director, Institute of Population Research, Peking University, China
• Will Digital Technologies, Including AI, Help or Hinder the Future Provision of Care? A Geriatrician’s Perspective Samir Sinha, Director, Health Policy Research, National Institute on Ageing, Canada
• Reclaiming Time: AI-Powered Contactless Health Management and Early Warning for Ageing Asia-Pacific Li Enzheng, Senior Vice President, TsingRay Technology, China

Respondent

• Vanessa Steinmayer, Population Affairs Officer, ESCAP

Technology can create new opportunities for older people to remain productive and engaged in changing labour markets. Focusing on digital skills, flexible work and enabling technologies, the discussion will also address age discrimination and digital exclusion. Participants will explore how policies, employers and training systems can support inclusive and productive working lives at older ages.

Moderator

• Feng Qiushi, Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, National University of Singapore

Presentation

• Older Workers in the Platform Economy: Digital Skills Retraining Pathways, Age-Inclusive Job Matching, and Lessons from China Feng Xiliang, Professor, Capital University of Economics and Business, China
• Empowering Silver-Age Lives with AI: From the Healthy China Strategy to the Heartwarming Practice of Companion Robotics Ma Hao, Senior Professor of Engineering and Director of the Computer Centre, Peking University, China
• Population Ageing and Digital Transformation: The Case of Azerbaijan Naila Verdiyeva, Head of Demographic Development Division, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population, Azerbaijan
• Advancing Digital Inclusion for Older Women Workers: Digital Resilience, Gerontechnology and Policy Pathways in South-East Asia Pei-Lee Teh, Professor, School of Business, Monash University Malaysia
• Ageing Workforce and the Role of Technology: Evidence from Asia and the Pacific Aiko Kikkawa, Principal Economist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Respondent

• Eduardo Klien, Asia-Pacific Regional Convening Lead, HelpAge International

As technology becomes more embedded in everyday life, questions of privacy, consent, discrimination and accountability are increasingly important. Through a rights-based lens, participants will examine approaches to inclusive technology governance and consider practical principles for ensuring AI and digital transformation respect older people’s autonomy, equality, dignity and meaningful participation.

Moderator

• Marco Roncarati, Social Affairs Officer, Social Development Division, ESCAP

Presentation

• Ageing Fast, Governing Slow: Building Region-Contextual AI Frameworks for Older Persons in Asia and the Pacific Moon Jeong Choi, Endowed Chair Professor, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Republic of Korea
• Data-Driven Collaborative Ageing Care: Possibilities, Impossibilities and Accountable Governance Sun Yuling, Professor, Fudan University, China
• Smart Aged Care System for Digitalizing Older Persons’ Daily Activities and Its Application Cases Li Gang, Professor, Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, China
• Protecting the Rights and Dignity of Older Persons in the Digital Age: International Human Rights Standards and Their Application to AI and Data Governance Chitralekha Massey, Chief, The Rights of Older Persons Section, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Respondent

• Feng Qiushi, Associate Professor, National University of Singapore

Closing

• Sabine Henning, Chief, Sustainable Demographic Transition Section, Social Development Division, ESCAP

Financing is fundamental to building long-term care systems that are sustainable, equitable and accessible. Drawing on experiences across the region, the discussion will compare approaches including taxation and mandatory insurance. Participants will gain insights into the strengths and trade-offs of different models and practical considerations for developing or reforming long-term care financing.

Moderator

• Najibullah Habib, Principal Health Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Presentation

• Sustainable Financing for Long-Term Care (LTC) in Australia Nicole Sutton, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
• LTC Insurance (LTCI) in South Korea Soonman Kwon, Professor and Former Dean, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea
• Development of China’s Long-Term Care Insurance System Wang Zongfan, Director and Researcher, Department of Medical Security and Long-Term Care Security Research, Chinese Academy of Labor and Social Security, China
• Financing Long-Term Care for Older People in Japan Taichi Ono, Vice President and Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan

Effective long-term care depends on strong coordination across ministries, levels of government, health and social care systems, and service providers. Participants will examine different governance arrangements and how they shape financing, accountability and service delivery. The discussion will highlight practical lessons for strengthening coordination and building more integrated and person-centred long-term care systems.

Moderator

• Soonman Kwon, Professor and Former Dean, School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea

Panelist

• Sunghun Yun, Assistant Professor, Gachon University, Republic of Korea
• Paul Ong, Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Chief Strategy Officer, Tsao Foundation, Singapore
• Emiko Masaki, Principal Health Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• Sriromi Maduwage, Senior Public Health Specialist, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka
• Prasert Assantachai, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University; President, Thai Society of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

Putting people’s needs, preferences and dignity at the centre of long-term care requires services to work together effectively. The discussion will cover integrated, institutional, home- and community-based models, collaboration among key actors, and the role of technology. Participants will learn how care can become more coordinated, responsive and centred on the individual.

Moderator

• Lu Jiehua, Professor, School of Population and Health, Renmin University of China; Founding Director, Institute for National Strategic Studies on Ageing, Peking University, China

Presentation

• The Development of Person-Centred Care in Australia: Policy Reforms and Quality Improvement Lu Bei, Senior Research Fellow, The University of New South Wales, Australia
• Trends of Older Adults with Disabilities in China and Key Issues in Long-Term Care Services Sun Juanjuan, Professor, Renmin University, China
• From Insurance to Integration: Person-Centered Long-Term Care in South Korea Hongsoo Kim, Professor, Seoul National University, South Korea
• Person-Centred Care in Action: Integrating Care Management and Community Partnerships to Sustain Living Well in the Community Yong Leong Ying, Assistant Director, Clinical Leadership Team, Hua Mei Community Care Management Services, Tsao Foundation, Singapore
• Scaling the ICOPE Approach in Chinese Communities: A Multi-Center Implementation Study Wang Ninie, Postdoctoral Fellow of Aging & Health, New York University Shanghai, China

Meeting growing demand for long-term care requires a skilled, sufficient and well-supported workforce. Key issues include professional standards, training, career development, support for family caregivers and the potential role of technology. Participants will explore practical approaches to building a sustainable and valued care workforce capable of responding to changing needs.

Moderator

• Rhea Tariq, Director of Global Impact, HelpAge International, United Kingdom

Presentation

• From Triple Challenge to Triple Win: Building Nurse-Led Integrated Care through Leadership, Capacity Building, and AI Innovation Hyun Joo Youn, Senior Social Development Specialist, Asian Development Bank, Philippines
• The “Zhi Ji Pu Rong Tong” Talent Development Model for Elderly Care Services Chen Dongying, Director, Science and Technology Department at Guangdong Open University, China
• Training System of Care Workers and Employment of Foreign Care Workers in Japan Yomei Nakatani, Professor and Chair, Graduate School of Gerontology, J. F. Oberlin University, Japan
• Viet Nam’s Experience in Building and Sustaining a Community-Based Care Workforce through Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs Viet Nga Chu, Head of Consulting, Vietnam Organisation for Better Ageing (VIOBA), Vietnam
• Cultivation System for Elderly Care Professionals: The Macao Experience Leong Sok Man, Vice-President and Professor, Kiang Wu Nursing College, Macau, China