Study shows old cared for out of duty, not love

Star: PETALING JAYA: Caregivers for the elderly are doing it mainly out of obligation and most are faced with financial constraints, according to a recent study.
A Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) study, Factors and Challenges of Caregiving for Older Malaysians, revealed that 61.5% of the 367 caregivers questioned rated obligation as the main reason for choosing to remain in the career.
Love ranked a distant second at 14.3%, with religious belief at 7.2%.
Most of the caregivers, about 68%, were finding it hard to make ends meet.
Another study, Social Support to the Older Malaysian: Realities and Expectations, showed that most of the aged desired support from their children (64% of the 1,993 aged questioned).
Of this group, the need to be showered with love ranked lowest at 7.4%. Instead, most said they looked forward to visits (35.8%), with the need for financial support also ranking high (32.4%).
In revealing the outcome of these studies, Assoc Prof Dr Nurizan Yahaya, who is with UPM's Gerontology Institute, said 15 research studies on the aged costing over RM9mil were carried out by various institutions under the 8th Malaysia Plan (2000-2005).
“The studies concentrated more on health, social and economic aspects but lacked emphasis on job opportunities, human rights, transport, public amenities and environment.
“These areas need attention,” said Dr Nurizan, who was presenting her paper Ageing and Senior Citizens in Malaysia: Research Perspectives during the National Seminar on Senior Citizens and the 9th Malaysia Plan organised by Persatuan Kebajikan Usiamas Malaysia on Monday.
She hoped that policy makers and the public would use these findings to help the aged.
According to a United Nations estimate, Malaysia will become an ageing nation by 2035 with the number of aged reaching 15% of the population then.
A census in 2000 revealed that of the 23.27 million population, 1.45 million were senior citizens (age 60 and above).
“Perak, Selangor and Johor had the most number of senior citizens, about 38% of the ageing population,” she said.
The census showed that about 900,000 senior citizens lived alone, she added.
A study by Dr Nurizan and her team (Life Satisfaction of Poor Elderly in Peninsular Malaysia, 2005) showed that among poor senior citizens, widows and singles received an average of RM144 in monthly welfare aid.
Another study, Elderly Income Sources: Ethnic Comparison, shows that out of 1,981 senior citizens, 72% Malays, 61% Chinese and 71% Indians were poor, with less than RM529 as household income.