Negara tua: Universiti perlu lahir lebih ramai penjaga warga emas

Malaysia must produce more trained caregivers for the elderly as the country prepares to become an aging nation by 2048, according to the Executive Director of the Malaysian Quality Assurance Agency (MQA), Mohammad Shatar Sabran. Shatar emphasized the need for short courses in elderly care, which can also provide employment opportunities for participants who choose to work part-time.

He suggested that the same model of time-based caregiving for children could be adapted for elderly care based on family needs. Several universities have already introduced such courses, but their implementation remains limited and needs to be expanded to meet the growing demand.

Shatar also mentioned that other universities have started offering these courses, but their implementation is not yet widespread and needs further expansion to meet the increasing demand. Earlier this year, Malaysian Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir warned that Malaysia only has about 27 years to prepare adequately for the transition to an aging nation by 2048.

The short timeframe puts pressure on the government to strengthen its readiness compared to other developed nations such as France (115 years), Australia (73 years), and the United States (69 years).