Elderly Quality of Life Development Centers as Policy Implementation Mechanisms in Local Governments: A Conceptual and Contextual Analysis
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Abstract
This article aims to analyze the role of Elderly Quality of Life Development Centers as mechanisms for implementing social welfare policies at the local government level. Drawing on the conceptual frameworks of policy implementation and local governance, the article provides a conceptual and policy-oriented analysis of how such centers function as institutional instruments linking national policy intentions with local-level practices. It argues that the key challenge in elderly social welfare provision at the local level lies not in the absence of policy, but in the fragility of institutional mechanisms responsible for translating policy into practice.
The synthesis of relevant literature suggests that Elderly Quality of Life Development Centers have the potential to serve as effective policy instruments when they are appropriately designed and supported in terms of institutional structure, functional roles, resource allocation, and network-based governance. However, the article also highlights persistent structural constraints, including ambiguous institutional status, limited financial and human resources, policy discontinuity, and fragmented information systems, which undermine the centers’ capacity to perform their strategic roles.
This article proposes that Elderly Quality of Life Development Centers should be understood as institutional mechanisms of policy implementation rather than merely service-delivery units or activity-based facilities. Such a perspective contributes to a deeper understanding of local welfare governance and offers a conceptual foundation for future empirical research and policy development in the context of an ageing society.
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References
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