Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (April 11): While Malaysia is fast becoming a developed nation, it is also expected to become an ageing nation by 2030, with 14.2% of the population being senior citizens.

This figure will increase to 23.1% by 2050, owing to the increase in the life expectancy rate with the help of modern medical treatment. This also translates into higher needs for senior care facilities in the country, which come in two forms: independent living and assisted living.

As the name suggests, independent senior living facilities are for senior citizens who do not require assistance for daily activities, but the facilities come with services such as dining, housekeeping, social programmes and concierge. On the other hand, assisted senior living facilities are for those who cannot live independently because of medical reasons.

Many existing private sector senior living facilities are located in retrofitted homes, and property consultants have observed that those offering long-term care are mostly operating at full capacity and they reckon there is a need for more dedicated senior living facilities.

There are generally four types of senior living services in Malaysia, namely specialised services centres, daycare centres, home-based nurses and retirement villages. They note that there is an increasing interest in retirement villages due to the ageing population and the decreasing number of family caregivers.

This week's cover story looks into the senior care facilities in Malaysia, alongside the persistent challenges such as the lack of regulations, financing and hiring of qualified staff. Read more about it in The Edge Malaysia weekly's April 12 edition.

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P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.

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