LETTERS: AS the life expectancy of Malaysians rises, there will be a corresponding increase in the number of senior citizens.
The Malaysia Census 2020 Report stated that the above 60 made up 10.4 per cent of the population or 3.4 million compared with eight per cent or 2.2 million a decade ago. Will these growing numbers put pressure on the healthcare system?
For seniors, a healthy body and mind will enhance their quality of life and wellbeing in the last phase of their life. The benefits of staying healthy are enormous as seniors age gracefully and delay the onslaught of age-related ailments such as Alzheimer's disease.
They also contribute to their family (spouse and grandchildren), local community and the nation as a whole. Here is how.
In terms of family, seniors are the first ones to provide care to their spouses. The healthier spouse will take on more responsibilities as the other grows frail.
He or she becomes the immediate caregiver in terms of organising and managing the household. Bills have to be paid, groceries have to be bought, helpers have to be hired to clean the house and do the laundry, errands have to be run and medical appointments have to be kept.
In short, when one spouse is inflicted with illness, the other will fill the gap to keep life as normal as possible. Without the other, she or he would most probably be destined for a care home when other family members are not available.
In terms of taking care of grandchildren, the seniors assist their children by babysitting the young ones.
They will be available to look after the grandchildren after school hours and serve as "transport managers" to ferry kids to school and tuition classes, and helping the kids with their homework.
There is an inner satisfaction and contentment in watching the kids grow and do well in school and later in life. Grandparents provide emotional support and friendship.
My 70-year-old wife, Rina, and I can relate to this close bonding with our two grandchildren.
In terms of contribution to community, the healthy and active seniors volunteer their services readily, be it at a soup kitchen, a handicapped centre, charitable organisation or a place of worship. In fact, many non-governmental organisations would be hard pressed to function without these older volunteers.
As such, should these caring seniors be regarded as a "burden" on our healthcare system?
Undoubtedly, healthier and active seniors translate to lower financial allocations to healthcare services for the elderly. The government need not allocate that much of expenditure on amenities such as medical facilities, medication and the number of specialists, including geriatricians.
So how do we nurture a core of healthy and active senior citizens? Census data shows that the government needs to formulate a policy plan for the aged by implementing a proactive long-term programme. This is where Malaysians of all ages are motivated to lead a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, eating right, going for regular check-ups and saying no to cigarettes and liquor.
Even if half of the population were to lead such a lifestyle, it will produce more healthy citizens who will need less care and support and reduce the government's financial allocation for the elderly.
The government must ensure that seniors remain in the mainstream of society by staying healthy and active. The policy strategies should give due recognition to seniors who play an important role in society.
Acknowledging seniors' contributions will transform society into a more age-inclusive one that does not pit one generation against the other. In essence, we should take a more balanced approach to the ageing population by not regarding them as a liability but instead a valuable asset to be nurtured.
Dr POLA SINGH
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times