TOPICS
Results for Topics : "Ageing"
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Meeting the needs of older Malaysians: expansion, diversification, and multi-sector collaboration
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2012
Abstract: The older population in Malaysia grew from 0.5 million in 1970 to almost 2.3 million in 2010, making up about 8% of the current total population. By 2020, one in ten Malaysians will be an older persons aged 60 years or over. Older Malaysians are a heterogeneous group with diverse demographic, socio-economic, cultural and religious characteristics. This paper assesses the adequacy, affordability, sustainability, equitability, predictability and robustness of current policies, programs and services to meet the needs of the ageing population in Malaysia. Based on the World Bank’s multipillar pension taxonomy, the analysis will focus on the social assistance scheme for the elderly (BOT), Pay-as-you-go financed state pension (JPA) and defined contribution funds (EPF). Between conditional cash transfers and mandatory retirement savings, the central role of informal support systems in old age has often been overlooked. Result from the past studies have shown that the family has played a central role in providing care and support for aged in Malaysia. A majority of older Malaysians still co-reside with their adult children and receives financial assistance from them. Older Malaysians today are living longer, better educated and wealthier and they will become consumers of a burgeoning silver industry. Balancing social and economic priorities in national development is a challenging task, but the two goals are not mutually exclusive. My topic focus on welfarism or paternalism will continue to render ageing populations as a dependent population, instead of empowering them. An inter-dependence approach, rooted in a mix of individual responsibility, family obligations, active civil society and state provisions (regulatory and non-regulatory), will enable a more broad-based and sustainable solution to meet the present and future needs of the elderly.
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Retirement planning: Dynamic and holistic approach in bridging the gaps and mitigating the risks
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2012
Abstract: Most of us will one day row old and frail. Some will be fortunate enough to be endowed with wealth and good health in retirement years. But others in fact many of us, some call it the 99% group, will not be so fortune. We may have wealth but not health. We may be healthy but not wealthy. Many will probably have enough income to put food and drink on the table, and roof over the head, but will there be enough to cover unexpected expenses? Can we depend on our children to financially and/or physically take care of us in our golden years? They too will likely be facing similar problems such as soaring costs of housing, children’s education, lifestyle upgrading, busy schedule and others making it less likely that we can depend on them for assistance. This paper discusses the needs as we age, identifies gaps that may occur and suggests the best ways for us to share and meet needs as individuals and as a nation. Retirement planning is dynamic and holistic. We are not just planning to build up wealth and good health, we must also plan to protect our wealth and health. When planning for retirement, all risks that we might face must be understood at the outset and strategies to mitigate them must be worked out.
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Population aging in China: features, challenges & strategies
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
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Year: 00/00/2012
Abstract: Global response to population aging is confronted by a series of severe challenges, for example retirement and medical/caring costs adds to fiscal burdens, population aging withers the labor force, development and aging problems intermingle as growth of the aged population mostly takes place in developing countries and poverty of the aged remains an acute problem. All these issues may only be addressed when national governments all over the world take the needs of the aged into full consideration in developing their social policies, establish specific strategies for responding to population aging and incorporate such strategies into long-term national development frameworks. Population aging also reflects the progress and achievement that the human society has made in extending life expectancy, improving mother and child health and helping women realize family planning. Seniors are more than just beneficiaries of social welfare. As producers, consumers, spreaders of traditional cultures, care-takers of children in their families and communities, seniors also play positive irreplaceable roles. A shared goal for us all therefore is to regard aging as an achievement, respond to age-related issues with a positive, optimistic and rational altitude, view skills, experiences and resources of the elderly as capital of the social development course, incorporate aging into our development agendas, promote positive aging and thereby construct a sharing society regardless of age.
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Elderly population
Item Type: Newsletter
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Year: 00/01/2009
Abstract: The total population of the elderly (aged 60 and above) in Malaysia has reached to 2 million, that is 7 per cent out of the total of 27.6 million population. The proportion of the elderly is expected to exceed 10 per cent around the year 2025. Finding from the MPFS-4 focussed on living arrangements, elderly care, loneliness, community involvement, economic activities, sources of financial support and health status of the elderly. Data for this study was drawn from responses of a total of 1,866 elderly.
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Population ageing
Item Type: Newsletter
Editor:
Year: 00/01/2008
Abstract: According to United Nation’s estimates, 21 percent of the population in the developed countries was aged 60 years or over in 2005. This proportion is projected to increase to 28 percent in 2025 and 32 per cent in 2050. In countries where economies are in transition, the average proportion of the population aged 60 years or over was estimated at only 8 percent in 2005 but is expected to reach 13 percent by 2025 and nearly 20 percent by 2050. Thus, the number of older persons in the developing countries will likely more than double between 2005 and 2025. This increase is much larger than in the developed countries compared to countries where the economies are in transition, where the number of older persons will grow by about 44 percent and 32 percent respectively during the same period.
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Fertility transition in Asia in relation to family and population aging
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2006
Abstract: Declining fertility and increasing longevity have brought about remarkable shifts in the age structure of the population. Europe, Northern America and Australia/New Zealand initially experienced one of such inevitable demographic events, that is population aging. While the transition from the young-age population to the aging population occurred over a much longer period in the West, the speed of aging is much faster in low-fertility countries of Asia. This has now emerged as a new issue challenging many low-fertility countries in Asia, as it has implications for the family and caring for the older persons. This paper provides a general overview of the fertility transition in Asia and factors affecting the fertility decline. Focusing on low-fertility countries in Asia, the paper highlights the implications of low fertility on population aging. Various indicators of population aging, such as the changes in age structure, potential support ratio and feminization of the elderly population, are presented for a better understanding of the overall situation. Comparisons are made with Europe, Northern America and Australia/New Zealand to put forward the magnitude of the challenge. As the Asian region contains over 60 percents of the global population and has experienced a rapid decline in fertility, the absolute size of the older population is a major concern. While the overall population growth rate has been declining over time, the number of older persons is increasing at a rate at least twice as high. In addition to the increase in older persons, a gender disparity in the improvements in the life expectancy at birth is likely to be illiterate and living in poverty. Providing family support, health care and financial security are some of the contentious issues aging societies will face. There have been discussions concerning the possibility of increasing fertility in countries with below replacement fertility. It is, therefore, crucial for governments to plan for an aging society long before fertility reaches a very low level. Meanwhile, it is important for Asian countries to recognize the significance of aging problems and start formulating policies for the elderly given that it takes several decades for government old-age pension insurance schemes to mature and operate at full scale. It would be more difficult for families to care for their older members because families would be smaller, people would live longer and the migration of young adults would mean that families would fragment. the present trends present a major challenge to address the needs of families. It is, therefore, important to consider the present trends in designing social policies, put the family at the centre of any future social policy development and examine good national practices when designing a new approach to family policies.
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Population growth and population ageing
Item Type: Newsletter
Editor:
Year: 00/01/2005
Abstract: Population ageing has significant implications on the communities, families and the individuals, in the context of social change. With increasing age at marriage, more and more people are delaying family formation such that many retirees still have to support their young children. This means that there will be fewer resources for the older persons becomes increasingly serious as their earnings diminish after retirement. As life expectancy increases, the families may have to cope with more that one generation of older persons.
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Socioeconomic status of older Malaysians: a gender comparison
Item Type: Article
Editor:
Year: 00/01/2004
Abstract: The feminization of old age is a global phenomenon that brings with it unique and multiple challenges. Cumulative effects of past (and present) gender inequality only further compound the difficulties older women face in later life.The objective of this paper is to provide a comparison of the socioeconomic status between older men and women. A survey of the older population living in the community was conducted from 22nd October till 8th December 1999.The sample was derived from stratified district (rural and urban) of 4 states (Johor, Perak, Kedah, Kelantan) where 1726 older persons were successfully interviewed. Out of that sample, 843 are women. Results from the study showed that there is significant difference between older men and women in terms of monthly income(t=-3.567,p<0.01). The primary source of sustenance for older women actually comes from their adults sons (M=168.3, SD=207.8)and daughters (M=133.4,SD=190.3). The value of monetary assistance from sons increases when the female elderly have more children (r=0.123,p<0.01). There is also significant relationship between gender and other socioeconomic indicators such as employment, past occupation, education, marital status and home ownership. In conclusion, women face a greater risk in the future of a greying population as they form the major stakeholders. Being financially beholden to their adult children, older Malaysian women's dependency is an important issue that requires attention. Further investigation is needed to determine if the gender differences will translate or relate to other variables such as health and overall well being.
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Aging population in Malaysia: future challenges
Item Type: Newsletter
Editor:
Year: 00/07/2001
Abstract: In the light of the growth of the older population, there is a need to respond to the increasing proportion and the absolute number of older persons in the total population. In Malaysia, unlike Japan and other developed countries, the issue of aging is not as critical. However, with increasing proportion and number of older persons, Malaysia has to plan early for the need of the older persons which are quite different from the rest of population.
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Study on childcare & parenting styles among working parents in Peninsular Malaysia 1998
Item Type: Research Report
Editor:
Year: 00/00/1998
Abstract: The Study on Childcare and Parenting Styles among working Parents in Malaysia is one of the three research issues on the family that has been identified by the Ministry of National Unity and Social Development under the "Pelan Induk Tindakan Sosial (PINTAS)". This survey is timely in view of the many challenges faced by Malaysian families who have been affected directly or indirectly by modernisation, urbanisation and industrialisation as a result of socio-economic development. Female labour force participation has increased from 37 per cent in 1970 to 42 per cent in 1991 and is expected to reach 52 per cent by year 2000. The objectives of the study were: • To study the current situation in childcare arrangements among working parents and to elicit suggestions from them regarding improvements in childcare. • To study parenting styles among working parents and to make recommendations for better parenting practices. • To use findings from the study as an input towards designing strategies and programs for the betterment of families. • To obtain indicators on childcare and parenting for the monitoring of goals and targets in the National Plan of Action on Children.
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