The rapidly aging Malaysian population is in need of retirement homes and an estimated nine in 10 homes are not regulated or approved by the government, according to a government official.

Most of these nursing homes are trapped in a Catch 22 situation and in a dilemma because the health, welfare and local authorities are not in sync in regulating and approving such establishments.

As a result of differing requirements from the various government agencies, most of the homes are not approved as there is no proper enforcement of retirement homes.

Former welfare director general of Golden Age Association of Malaysia (Usiamas) president Abdullah Baginda said there is a need for a coordinated effort in legislation and regulation of nursing homes for the aged.

“The government must synchronise (everything) under one department, which will approve, supervise and enforce the regulation.

“At the moment, the Health Ministry’s Private Hospital Act has been used as a benchmark while there is another Welfare Department’s Care Centre Act. At the same time local authorities also have a say on the building and neighbourhood concerns.”

Therefore, Abdullah called on the government to formulate a fair and just policy for the aging population, which is often neglected.

Central policy needed

Meanwhile former secretary general of the National Council of Senior Citizens Organisations Malaysia (Nascom) Koh Pak Boo said there is an urgent need for all the various government departments to coordinate a practical policy to regulate and enforce the approvals and supervision of nursing homes.

“The government must sympathise with the aging population as it is increasing dramatically, and there is a lack of enforcement and this has resulted in the mushrooming of nursing homes without proper approvals, facilities, and to the exploitation of the aged.”

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Institute of Gerontology director Tengku Aizan Tengku Abdul Hamid had presented a paper noting that the speed of growth of the ageing population in several countries is “so alarming that innovative thinking at all levels is needed to address it if we are to avert a crisis.

“While France took more than 100 years to double her population aged 65 and over from 7 percent to 14 percent (from 1865 to 1980), the older population in Malaysia aged 65 or over will take only 23 years to double from 7 percent in 2020 to 14 percent in 2043.

“So, compared with the more developed countries, Malaysia has a rather short time to prepare for the transition into an aged nation,” said Tengku Aizan.

Therefore, she said there is an urgent need to prepare the nation for this eventuality as it takes more than a decade for social institutions to change.

For this reason, Koh added, “Currently, no one specific government department is in charge of supervising and enforcing quality management and regulated nursing homes.”

Japan firm an inspiration

He was speaking at a discussion among senior citizen NGOs, Usiamas, Damansara Jaya Senior Citizens Association and Nascom, when they made a working study visit to observe the New Legend Retirement Home’s facilities located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Koh and the other NGOs were impressed and commended the managing director of the home Rajan Pekchan for maintaining it like a holiday resort.

The various senior citizens groups were drawn to visit New Legend after learning that a multinational Japanese company, Medical Care Services Incorporated of Japan had signed a joint venture with New Legend to build homes in Malaysia.

The Medical Care Services in Japan is a very specialised care giver for dementia patients. The company intend to bring in their experience and expertise to help Malaysians.