Older Malaysians in need of integrated eldercare, says Unicef M'sia
The statistics department had previously said Malaysia was expected to reach aged nation status sooner than expected, with over 17% of the population expected to be aged 60 or older in 2040. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR : A Unicef Malaysia representative said Malaysia's 'fragmented' health and social care systems make it difficult for older Malaysians to receive integrated support.
Speaking at a panel session during EPF's International Social Well-being Conference 2025, Unicef Malaysia social policy specialist Lee Min Hui called for more community-based and integrated care infrastructure.
'This would support the growing preference for ageing-in-place among Malaysians,' she said, using the term for continued independent living in the community in old age.
'Right now, the disjointed system makes it hard for individuals to access comprehensive services.'
Lee said policies must be inclusive and address a person's needs across their life cycle, pointing out that women were especially vulnerable due to caregiving responsibilities and economic insecurity.
She emphasised the need for a 'cradle-to-grave' care economy that recognised unpaid care work and integrated social care into the national social protection framework.
Proposing several measures to strengthen the eldercare ecosystem, fellow panellist Dr Jemilah Mahmood said a national contributory healthcare plan and health insurance scheme were crucial to ensuring financial sustainability in elderly care.
The executive director of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health suggested exploring innovative models such as 'time banking', in which one providing care services to the elderly earns credits that can be used to receive care in the future, fostering intergenerational support.
Jemilah said civil society organisations should be empowered to design eldercare solutions tailored to local community needs, as they understood community needs well.
The statistics department had previously said Malaysia was expected to reach aged nation status sooner than expected, with over 17% of the population expected to be aged 60 or older in 2040.
As of last year, this group made up 11.6%, or 3.9 million, of the total population of 34.1 million.
By 2057, Malaysia will reach the super-aged society category, with 20.5% projected to be over the age of 60.
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