This book examines which factors promote or hinder older people's access to social care in different Asian development contexts. It introduces a new theoretical framework which is applied to high-income (Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea) and middle-income (People's Republic of China, Indonesia and Thailand) Asian countries and administrative zones.

It takes the reader on a journey from middle-income countries like Indonesia, where access relies heavily on informal care from relatives and the neighbourhood, to high-income countries like South Korea or Singapore. In the latter, older people have access to a wider range of services yet may fail to gain access because of care worker shortages, institutional barriers (e.g. eligibility criteria), or the commercialisation of care.

Seven empirical chapters each identify distinct factors promoting or impeding access and discuss what this means for meeting care needs in practice. In the conclusion, these findings identify how situations differ depending on whether a country is “developed” or “developing,” and discuss potential Asia-specific characteristics to accessing social care. Additionally, the strengths and limitations of the new theoretical framework are discussed with reference to existing theories of “access to care”, welfare state development and care regimes. Overall, this book provides a comprehensive and systematic comparison of older people's access to social care in selected East and Southeast Asian countries and zones.

Christina Maags is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s School of Languages, Arts and Societies. Educated in Asian Studies, Political Science, and Social Policy at the Universities of Bonn, Frankfurt, and Oxford, her research examines the political economy of cultural heritage and demographic ageing in PR China. Her work appears in leading journals including Social Policy & Administration, Modern China, and Politics & Policy. Most recently, she co-authored “Active Ageing in China: A Case Study of Working after Retirement” in Asian Development Review (2025).