Global ageing provides numerous possible trajectories for older people (aged 65 years and over) in most countries across the world. Asia and Africa will become home for the bulk of the world’s elderly population with further large numbers living in developing countries and all experiencing poor health and poor quality of life. Relatively little work has been conducted on cross-country comparisons covering the health and wellbeing of poor and marginalised populations. More research is needed in developing countries for improving the overall wellbeing of their elderly populations. A big current concern is that data are not available for these countries to enable them to draw firm conclusions. Valid and reliable information, therefore, needs to be collected coupled with in-depth analysis in order to discover the important commonalities and differences that may exist. This talk highlights key similarities and differences in healthcare and social support needed by elderly people living in Bangladesh and Nigeria. The methodology involves using the HEPIQ-C model in Nigeria with a top-down approach and using the SITAKUND model in Bangladesh with a bottom-up approach to enable understanding of the two societies. The findings from these studies will help inform policy-makers in their deliberations around the health and wellbeing of their elderly populations.