Recent studies searched for social positivity among Vietnamese elderly people through their social participation. The question, however, is whether such participation is entirely positive and what factors help explain the social participation of the elderly in Vietnam today. This article, drawn from a qualitative study of older people in Hanoi and Vĩnh Long, examines the social participation of older people from an active ageing approach. The article addresses the following aspects: taking care of children and grandchildren, taking care of the elderly, participating in volunteer activities, and participating in the politics of the elderly. The results show the fact that the elderly place themselves in a dependent relationship with their children and grandchildren can be a factor hindering their old-age well-being. The life course approach also suggests building infrastructure and providing services for the elderly that take into account spatial familiarity to give them a sense of security.