Ageing Population in Malaysia
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
How Should Malaysia Respond to its Ageing Society?
D R Forsyth, FRCP*, Y C Chia, FRCP** *Box 135, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, England, **Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
SUMMARY As Malaysia ages its health and social care systems will have to adapt to a changing pattern of disease and dependency. Improved public health measures extend life expectancy at the relative expense of increased prevalence of currently incurable conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. In this article we discuss how these demographic changes will impact and suggest possible means of coping with the altered epidemiology of disease and disability. Malaysia will need to swiftly develop sufficient expertise in acute Geriatric Medicine, rehabilitation of older people; the management of long-term conditions in older people with multiple complex problems within Primary Care; as well as an infrastructure for home and institutional care. KEY WORDS: Older people, Elderly, Malaysia, Ageing, Geriatric Medicine, Primary Care
INTRODUCTION The world is ageing and Malaysia is no exception. The total population of Malaysia increased by an average of 2.6% per annum between 1980 and 2000 and continues to grow at a similar rate (2.4%)1. In 1991 the proportion of the Malaysian population aged 65 years and over was 3.7% and in 2000 was 3.9%1. Current (year 2008) estimates are that out of a total population of some 27.7 million, approximately 1.2 million Malaysians (4.2%) are aged over 65 years1,2 . Improvements in nutrition and public health, reduced perinatal mortality, coupled with advances in medicine have contributed to an increased life expectancy and to the demographic changes in this country. Whilst chronological age may not demarcate biological old age, 65 years and over provides a
How Should Malaysia Respond to its Ageing Society?
D R Forsyth, FRCP*, Y C Chia, FRCP** *Box 135, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, England, **Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
SUMMARY As Malaysia ages its health and social care systems will have to adapt to a changing pattern of disease and dependency. Improved public health measures extend life expectancy at the relative expense of increased prevalence of currently incurable conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. In this article we discuss how these demographic changes will impact and suggest possible means of coping with the altered epidemiology of disease and disability. Malaysia will need to swiftly develop sufficient expertise in acute Geriatric Medicine, rehabilitation of older people; the management of long-term conditions in older people with multiple complex problems within Primary Care; as well as an infrastructure for home and institutional care. KEY WORDS: Older people, Elderly, Malaysia, Ageing, Geriatric Medicine, Primary Care
INTRODUCTION The world is ageing and Malaysia is no exception. The total population of Malaysia increased by an average of 2.6% per annum between 1980 and 2000 and continues to grow at a similar rate (2.4%)1. In 1991 the proportion of the Malaysian population aged 65 years and over was 3.7% and in 2000 was 3.9%1. Current (year 2008) estimates are that out of a total population of some 27.7 million, approximately 1.2 million Malaysians (4.2%) are aged over 65 years1,2 . Improvements in nutrition and public health, reduced perinatal mortality, coupled with advances in medicine have contributed to an increased life expectancy and to the demographic changes in this country. Whilst chronological age may not demarcate biological old age, 65 years and over provides a