The Sunday Health Column
The Star, Malaysia
July 9, 2006
We must be cognizant of the fact that the elderly is a separate proportion of the population, with different needs, issues and problems, says Tee Shiao Eek.
FEW people know of an organisation that has been quietly working behind the scenes for over 10 years to champion the rights and well-being of the elderly.
A support system, made up of volunteers who visit the homes of elderly people, can provide respite for the carers, as well as keep the elderly people company.
Established in 1992, the Gerontological Association of Malaysia (GEM) started out with a small group of professionals who were concerned that ageing issues were not receiving enough attention.
“Our main aim is to promote awareness on ageing among the Malaysian community. Our members are mainly professionals like medical doctors, sociologists, lecturers, tutors, nurses and administrators,” says the president Masitah Yatim, who is a sociologist and demographer herself, as well as a former Director of the Research and Evaluation Division in the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN).
As the aged population (65 and above) in our country increases, we need to recognise that there are a lot of issues to be dealt with. We have to be prepared to care for the aged who are frail and disabled, as well as the still-active, retired population.
“Do we know whether they are suffering, or happy? Do we have facilities for them so that they can live independently? And we always think that the family will take care of them, but do they?” Masitah points out.
There were no answers to these questions then, and there are still none now. Nevertheless, the association continues to advocate effective attention on ageing concerns, and direct the focus of policies and research towards improving the quality of life for older Malaysians.
The elderly and their carers
We tend to think of the elderly as people like us, only older. It hardly occurs to us that they are a separate proportion of the population, with different needs, issues and problems.
“We always think these people don’t have needs, but they do!” exclaims Masitah, who studied trends of ageing for LPPKN, and was one of the coordinators for ASEAN projects on ageing. She is familiar with the needs of elderly people, which often go unmet due to lack of proper care and support.
For instance, there is a belief in our culture that families will always take care of their aged, but GEM has found this to be untrue.
Masitah Yatim … ‘We want people to age healthily, continue being active and take care of their health.’
“The minute you mention their children, they cry,” says Masitah of the elderly people whom they have visited.
Some children migrate from the kampungs and rural towns to work in the urban cities, leaving their old parents behind.
In some cases, it is one child who looks after the aged parent, while the siblings do not offer any help. This is an unimaginable burden on that child, who has to deal with the stress of being a caregiver, as well as the problems of his/her own life.
“If the child cannot afford a maid, she will leave the disabled parent alone at home. This is stressful for the child, who has to go to work and keep worrying about her parent,” says Masitah, who speaks from personal experience, having cared for her late mother who lived to the age of 103.
According to GEM treasurer Nazileh Ramli, this can lead to neglect of the elderly, sometimes unintentionally.
“It’s not that the carers want to neglect the elderly, but sometimes it has been too long for them and they become burnt out. They are not willing to reveal this, because they feel guilty to admit that they are feeling stressed,” says Nazileh.
A support system, made up of volunteers who visit the homes of elderly people, can provide respite for the carers, as well as keep the elderly people company.
Loneliness is often prevalent among the elderly, who come to be treated as merely bodies that need to be cleaned and fed.
“Parents will not say that they are unhappy because they do not want to hurt their children. Do we ever ask our parents if they are happy?” questions Masitah.
For the elderly who live alone, their healthcare is often neglected, because it is difficult for them to go to the clinic and they will have to wait for their children.
“Even when you give them the medicine, who is there to supervise them, to make sure that they are taking the right medicine?” asks Masitah.
“Another issue is lack of awareness of the process of ageing. We’re not just talking about the physical aspects, but also mentally, emotionally and financially.”
Financial planning is especially important in this age group, who no longer have a source of income, and may have the added burden of medical expenses to contend with.
Ageing is usually seen to be synonymous with retirement, but it is not a bed of roses for everyone.
“Retirement is not about relaxation for everyone. For some people, they still have financial issues to address. Some people are still looking after their children,” Masitah explains.
“These people are still active and healthy, but if we leave them without any jobs, they will go downhill very fast.” Planning for the so-called golden years not only means having a nest egg tucked away, but also preparing to spend those years meaningfully. “We shouldn’t take these old age issues for granted, because we are all going there one day,” Masitah remarks.
Creating change
GEM’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the elderly through health promotion, education, research, information dissemination and community support services.
One of GEM’s recent activities was a three-year, community-based project that organised home visits to Mukim Jimah (Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan) and Taman Lindungan Jaya (Petaling Jaya, Selangor) four times a year.
“We visit frail and disabled elderly people, especially those who have been sick for a long time. We provide health education, and listen to the family members, to give them emotional and moral support. We also address the carers and talk to them about the process of ageing.
“The home visits make the elderly happy, and make them determined to become well,” says Masitah. During the rest of the year, GEM has facilitators within the area who go and visit the homes.
GEM will also be taking the initiative to study the National Policy for the Elderly and review how far it has been implemented. “We need to really study issues, for example, the issue of elderly abuse,” says Masitah. However, she laments the lack of funding to make such research a reality.
GEM wants to be a catalyst in creating awareness, to use their findings to educate people and initiate change. Masitah stresses that this means less rhetoric and more grassroots action.
For those looking to take education into their own hands, she remarks that the Merck Manual of Health & Aging is a good form of reading material, not only for the elderly, but also younger people who will eventually be part of the ageing population.
“Now is the time for us to plan so that the current generation will know what to anticipate,” says Nazileh.
“We want people to age healthily, continue being active, take care of their health and be involved in activities like volunteerism,” concludes Masitah.
Copyright © 1995-2006 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd
A support system, made up of volunteers who visit the homes of elderly people, can provide respite for the carers, as well as keep the elderly people company.
Established in 1992, the Gerontological Association of Malaysia (GEM) started out with a small group of professionals who were concerned that ageing issues were not receiving enough attention.
“Our main aim is to promote awareness on ageing among the Malaysian community. Our members are mainly professionals like medical doctors, sociologists, lecturers, tutors, nurses and administrators,” says the president Masitah Yatim, who is a sociologist and demographer herself, as well as a former Director of the Research and Evaluation Division in the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN).
As the aged population (65 and above) in our country increases, we need to recognise that there are a lot of issues to be dealt with. We have to be prepared to care for the aged who are frail and disabled, as well as the still-active, retired population.
“Do we know whether they are suffering, or happy? Do we have facilities for them so that they can live independently? And we always think that the family will take care of them, but do they?” Masitah points out.
There were no answers to these questions then, and there are still none now. Nevertheless, the association continues to advocate effective attention on ageing concerns, and direct the focus of policies and research towards improving the quality of life for older Malaysians.
The elderly and their carers
We tend to think of the elderly as people like us, only older. It hardly occurs to us that they are a separate proportion of the population, with different needs, issues and problems.
“We always think these people don’t have needs, but they do!” exclaims Masitah, who studied trends of ageing for LPPKN, and was one of the coordinators for ASEAN projects on ageing. She is familiar with the needs of elderly people, which often go unmet due to lack of proper care and support.
For instance, there is a belief in our culture that families will always take care of their aged, but GEM has found this to be untrue.
Masitah Yatim … ‘We want people to age healthily, continue being active and take care of their health.’
“The minute you mention their children, they cry,” says Masitah of the elderly people whom they have visited.
Some children migrate from the kampungs and rural towns to work in the urban cities, leaving their old parents behind.
In some cases, it is one child who looks after the aged parent, while the siblings do not offer any help. This is an unimaginable burden on that child, who has to deal with the stress of being a caregiver, as well as the problems of his/her own life.
“If the child cannot afford a maid, she will leave the disabled parent alone at home. This is stressful for the child, who has to go to work and keep worrying about her parent,” says Masitah, who speaks from personal experience, having cared for her late mother who lived to the age of 103.
According to GEM treasurer Nazileh Ramli, this can lead to neglect of the elderly, sometimes unintentionally.
“It’s not that the carers want to neglect the elderly, but sometimes it has been too long for them and they become burnt out. They are not willing to reveal this, because they feel guilty to admit that they are feeling stressed,” says Nazileh.
A support system, made up of volunteers who visit the homes of elderly people, can provide respite for the carers, as well as keep the elderly people company.
Loneliness is often prevalent among the elderly, who come to be treated as merely bodies that need to be cleaned and fed.
“Parents will not say that they are unhappy because they do not want to hurt their children. Do we ever ask our parents if they are happy?” questions Masitah.
For the elderly who live alone, their healthcare is often neglected, because it is difficult for them to go to the clinic and they will have to wait for their children.
“Even when you give them the medicine, who is there to supervise them, to make sure that they are taking the right medicine?” asks Masitah.
“Another issue is lack of awareness of the process of ageing. We’re not just talking about the physical aspects, but also mentally, emotionally and financially.”
Financial planning is especially important in this age group, who no longer have a source of income, and may have the added burden of medical expenses to contend with.
Ageing is usually seen to be synonymous with retirement, but it is not a bed of roses for everyone.
“Retirement is not about relaxation for everyone. For some people, they still have financial issues to address. Some people are still looking after their children,” Masitah explains.
“These people are still active and healthy, but if we leave them without any jobs, they will go downhill very fast.” Planning for the so-called golden years not only means having a nest egg tucked away, but also preparing to spend those years meaningfully. “We shouldn’t take these old age issues for granted, because we are all going there one day,” Masitah remarks.
Creating change
GEM’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the elderly through health promotion, education, research, information dissemination and community support services.
One of GEM’s recent activities was a three-year, community-based project that organised home visits to Mukim Jimah (Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan) and Taman Lindungan Jaya (Petaling Jaya, Selangor) four times a year.
“We visit frail and disabled elderly people, especially those who have been sick for a long time. We provide health education, and listen to the family members, to give them emotional and moral support. We also address the carers and talk to them about the process of ageing.
“The home visits make the elderly happy, and make them determined to become well,” says Masitah. During the rest of the year, GEM has facilitators within the area who go and visit the homes.
GEM will also be taking the initiative to study the National Policy for the Elderly and review how far it has been implemented. “We need to really study issues, for example, the issue of elderly abuse,” says Masitah. However, she laments the lack of funding to make such research a reality.
GEM wants to be a catalyst in creating awareness, to use their findings to educate people and initiate change. Masitah stresses that this means less rhetoric and more grassroots action.
For those looking to take education into their own hands, she remarks that the Merck Manual of Health & Aging is a good form of reading material, not only for the elderly, but also younger people who will eventually be part of the ageing population.
“Now is the time for us to plan so that the current generation will know what to anticipate,” says Nazileh.
“We want people to age healthily, continue being active, take care of their health and be involved in activities like volunteerism,” concludes Masitah.
Copyright © 1995-2006 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd
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