Kuala lumpur: Malaysia must prioritise investment in healthcare systems and social support to help the rakyat age healthily and meaningfully, says market research firm Ipsos Sdn Bhd.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ipsos recently released a survey titled Attitudes Towards Ageing 2025, which indicates that Malaysians expect to live an average of 15 years in their senior years. The survey also found a shift in the perception of old age, with Malaysians now defining it as starting at 60, compared to 56 seven years ago.
The survey reported that people in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries have expressed a more positive outlook towards ageing. In contrast, developed nations, despite having longer lifespans and higher thresholds for old age, do not necessarily share the same positive sentiment. Ipsos suggested that cultural values respecting the elderly and support from family and community in Malaysia contribute to this positive perspective on ageing.
However, Ipsos highlighted significant challenges, noting that Malaysia is projected to become an ageing nation by 2043. Therefore, it emphasized the need for investment in healthcare systems and social support to ensure that the positive outlook on ageing is supported by systems that enable people to age healthily, with dignity and meaning.
The survey, which included approximately 23,745 adults under the age of 75 across 32 countries, found varying perceptions of when old age begins. In France, it is considered to start at 72, while in Thailand it's 68, Great Britain 67, Japan 65, the Philippines 60, and Indonesia 59.
Ipsos Managing Director Arun Menon noted that despite the global perception of ageing remaining largely unchanged since 2018, Malaysians have experienced a notable shift. Over the past seven years, the perceived start of 'old age' in Malaysia has increased by four years, from 56 to 60.
In response to the ageing demographic, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan, announced the implementation of the National Ageing Blueprint (NAB) 2025-2045. This strategic guide aims to ensure that no group, including the elderly, is left behind in development. The NAB initiatives include developing a more efficient, accessible, and affordable Long-Term Care (LTC) system, enacting specific laws to coordinate elderly care regulations, and providing social protection incentives and benefits for caregivers.