Be prepared for life in old age
AS sure as night follows day, old age will catch up with everyone. We cannot escape Father Time but at least we can prepare ourselves for this eventuality.
No one wants to end up in an old folks home, lonely and forgotten, but unless one has willing and committed family members to look after one, even the rich and wealthy could also end up in a home. Gone are the days where you can expect your sons or daughters to look after you in the family home!
Ageing in our generation is different from the time of our forefathers. The 70s of today would probably be the 50s of yesteryear, and more people now are looking to enjoy a meaningful life in their senior years.
But hoping that our mental and physical capabilities will never wane is wishful thinking. One day, something will happen that will force you to depend on others to help you along. It could be your spouse passing away or an unexpected fall that lands you in hospital with a broken hip. Elderly folks with Alzheimer’s and dementia usually end up in a home because they need constant care.
In Penang and probably throughout the country, anyone can set up a nursing home for the elderly. I have seen many private nursing and elderly care homes located in rented bungalows or detached houses and staffed with foreign helpers who provide rudimentary care for the aged and infirm. Some benevolent institutions like the Penang Buddhist Association take in those who are old, destitute and have no family members to look after them.
In time, hopefully, we can have a proper elderly care home run by professionals with carers professionally trained in geriatric care.
In developed countries, carers are required to undergo a minimum three-month practical and theory course in elderly care or nursing home care course before they can be hired.
In our region, we have access to affordable domestic helpers from neighbouring countries. Ideally, if these domestic helpers can be trained in elderly care, they would be sought after. Such helpers employed by agencies can actually work on a daily or hourly basis to help elderly people, who live independently, with chores such as cleaning and cooking and even provide basic therapy for stroke victims. These trained carers would also provide a welcome respite to family members especially those looking after relatives with dementia or mobility problems.
In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Jockey club (HKJC) built a not-forprofit elderly care facility with over 300 beds in Shenzhen in mainland China for residents of the island. Called the Yee Hong Heights Nursing Home, this amazing facility is spread over 27,000 square metres of land and is well equipped and manned by doctors and qualified carers. It even provides rehabilitation therapy for stroke victims. HKJC donated HK$95mil from its charity trust to establish the nursing home.
It would be good if we can see such initiative and generous commitment by organisations like HKJC in Malaysia.
The trend among corporations and organisations here is to take the limited role of proud sponsors for dinners and lunches for residents of old folks home during festive occasions. Every Chinese New Year, for instance, newspapers would publish pictures of old folks clutching their ang pow while their sponsors look on.
The time has come for large corporations to seriously consider a more ambitious and meaningful programme like providing care for the elderly. It only takes someone with the right determination to bring together key players to start a donation drive to fund a not-forprofit, comprehensive nursing home for the aged.
State authorities must also lift their game further when it comes to dealing with our ageing population. We can learn from developed countries on how to provide better amenities and support for the elderly.
Freedom to live independently and with dignity in our own home would be the best option when we are in our golden years. However, our present homes are not built to cater for old people with diminished physical and sensory abilities. Our bathrooms and toilets have to be renovated and facilities to cater for those with limited mobility have to be installed.
Stairs would be a torture to climb when the knees are afflicted with arthritis or joint pain. It would be wise for pensioners who can afford it to consider downsizing to a smaller home or apartment with such facilities.
But most pensioners are also affected by the high cost of living. With their limited savings and the shrinking value of the ringgit, the odds are really stacked against them. To fund the cost of the move into a proper elderly care facility, these pensioners may have to sell their home, and that’s provided it is still in their name.