Implications of an Ageing Population

Population growth in Malaysia has declined to 1.1% in 2018 from 2% in 2000. This is partly due to Malaysia becoming a more developed nation. By 2035, the percentage of population in Malaysia above 65 is forecasted to be 13.2%. By 2040, 20% of the population will be 60 or above (UM’s Social Wellbeing Research Centre).

The most common problems that senior citizens face include:

·       Deteriorating health;

·       Malnutrition;

·       Shelter;

·       Fear;

·       Depression;

·       Dementia;

·       Isolation;

·       Boredom;

·       Financial incapacity; and

·       Non-productive lives

For ease, one could group the above as physical, mental and financial issues.

In Japan, one in three people are aged over 65. Japan has the best healthcare and social safety net for its senior citizens but the ageing population puts a strain on the financial system, retail industry and prisons. Japanese men and women find loneliness and boredom unbearable and so they opt to be in prison. How? By deliberately breaking the law. The prison environment is regimented with shelter and food. Then other inmates provide interaction.

Malaysia only has one geriatrician for every 100,000 older persons. Our medical emphasis has to move from cardiology and oncology to geriatrics. Many children have little clue of what to do with parents with dementia. The easiest way is to abandon them in a senior citizen’s home, hospital or another rehab centre.

We need to incentivise children to look after their parents. It has to be a 3-generation approach in home development or new property estates. Local councils should encourage developers to have independent living or assisted living for the aged. Tax shields may help the entrepreneur and the family member in looking after older folks. We have to address the question “what’s in it for me?” The old Asian mentality of filial relationships are loosening or have loosened, and surprisingly this transcends both race and religion. So we need to re-map / re-draw the physical aspects – shelter and health to financial capacity in order that the aged can sustain a reasonable, lucid quality of life.