Conclusion

Things I have learned

A large portion of the Malay population is elderly which is an indication of an ageing society. Life expectancy of people has increased from 71 years in 1970 to 79 years in 2010 and is still rising.[1] These are results of statistics I read during my research. Furthermore, the percentage of students in Malaysia has gone up 20% between 1997 and 2002.[2]. In 2040, 25% of the Malaysian population will be 65 years or older. This means that my “target group" is growing exponentially.[3] My survey showed that generally, the elderly have trouble with shopping, cleaning, gardening, and keeping up with new technologies. Family members, if available, cannot always sup­port them. This is where my idea of a service to help the elderly generation comes in. The elderly will not get only a helping hand, but also they will get in touch with new young people and get rid of possible isolation.
The complete income of 65-69 year olds is roughly RM 23,800.00 a year or less. I consider an enormous reduction of the income with the decrement of age. Malaysians age 80 and above have a total income of RM 19,200.00 per year.[4] With my survey of young people, I found out that most of their grandparents (57.14%) live on their own or in other  places (35.71%). Only 7.14% answered that their grandparents live in their parents’ house. 29.63% of them are sustained by their family, 7,41% are sustained by professional care, and 18.52% are sustained by a combination. This is because many of the elderly’s family members are still able to take care of themselves.

Online behaviour

When comparing Malay seniors with for example German seniors, the second group is ahead in online buying. Only 20% of the Germans age 55 and above do not make purchases via the web. I also questioned several elderly people and found out that almost everyone uses the Internet every day, both in Malaysia and in Germany.
Tasks required 50% of them sometimes need help from other people, but the other half do not yet need help in their eve­ryday lives. The majority of the elderly would allow themselves to be helped by foreigners, but it was stressed that those who help have to be trustworthy.
Tasks that cannot easily be done by the elderly include: working in the garden, cleaning the house, shopping, and buying drinking  water, ins­talling new software/hardware, doing complicated downloads, and advanced computer tasks. When they were asked if they would appreciate having a platform where they could search for someone to do certain tasks for them, their responses were overwhelmingly positive. The two surveys clarified that the platform should check the working condition between the elderly and the younger people. Additionally, respondents preferred to stay in contact with their helpers through the conventional telephone and e-mailing.
To sum up, because of the demographical change, there is an enormous need for  the elderly to get help as there will not be enough homes for the elderly or nursing staff. If we look at the numbers of the elderly , we can see that the number will only increase in the near future. Furthermore, education is becoming more expensive, especially for students who lack solid incomes. Also the elderly are using the Internet more than ever before  and so they are becoming more approachable. So, if we can combine all these assets, I am sure that a helping company like the Socialhands based in Malaysia will be successful in the future. However, it is necessary to start the company as soon as possible because there a potential markets now and it is important to build our public image immediately.­­­­
This study proves that individualistic (where the individual is the most important) and collectivistic (where the group is the most important) cultures are “attractive” traits likely to influence their tendencies for offering help toward both the elderly and elderly parents, but with significant country differences among them (e.g. Germany compared to Malaysia).
The experience of helping the elderly, which most of the respondents have, caused them to appreciate the elderly “attractive” traits. In fact, during this course I learned that there is a big difference of treating the elderly between individualist and collectivist cultures. Helping parents might be seen as an obligation in collectivist cultures. In individualist societies it might be seen as rendering help to a member of the in-group. One’s own parents may be part of the in-group and help toward members of this group may not be based on rationality or on cost/benefit analysis. Similarly, in collectivist cultures perhaps help is seen as an obligation, but this requires a further investigation. With the elderly who are not parents, however, “unattractive” traits can prevent respondents from both individualist and collectivist cultures from wanting to help them. While this is in line with the value system of individualist cultures that emphasizes rationality and cost/benefit analysis in social relationships. For collectivist cultures, however it demonstrates a shift away from the traditional values of helping the elderly based on norms and relatedness or on in-group membership. In-group classification in collectivist cultures has a broader membership (e.g., caste, kin, race, tribe, religion, village, nation) compared to individualist cultures, and it appears that the tendency to help or not to help members of this group in collectivist cultures may be based on a hierarchical ordering of its members. In fact, elderly parents appear to be in a higher order of importance than other elderly persons who belong to one’s race, tribe, religion or village.
Personally, I think that future studies should provide respondents with different scenarios. It is likely that while “unattractive” traits could prevent a helping tendency in one situation, they may not in another. Furthermore, it is likely that certain classes of the elderly traits could influence or prevent helping tendencies more than the others. Also the type of help rendered, even though similar, may carry different meanings across cultures. Thus future studies should also consider the nature of help offered. Finally, it does not matter in which culture the elderly live, they are thankful for every help they can get and thus we should provide support to them.

Future considerations

Helping the elderly by doing business in any of the ten countries in Southeast Asia offers access to new emerging economies; however, the work can be difficult. With the policies established by the Malaysian government such as the National Social Policy, National Welfare Policy, National Policy for the Elderly, National Plan of Action for Older Persons, I believe that Malaysia is on the right track to meet the challenges of an ageing population. Nonetheless, the implementation of those policies must be closely followed to ensure their effectiveness. Although collaboration between the various agencies and NGOs is formulated at the highest level, it is crucial that implementation occurs at the grass roots level. This could avoid the duplication of or under-delivery services and also optimize the utilization of scarce resources. By doing so, the  elderly will be benefited from these efforts. Additionally, the elderly population is expected to grow in the future as health care is improving and life expectancy is getting higher. 60% of the people between the age of  65 and 75 are on social media such as Facebook and Twitter – and this number is growing. Between 2009 and 2010, the number of people aged 65+ who were using social media doubled. Therefore, the NGOs will not be able to take care of all the elderly and there will be still 60+ people who need help.
Developing programmes to retrain the elderly could help to realize the principles of independence, participation, and self-fulfilment which have been widely held in many countries such as the Vienna World Assembly on Ageing and the 2002 Madrid World Assembly. There will always be a need for younger people to help the elderly.

Source

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[1] URL: http://www.cbs.de/NR/rdonlyres/9F0DEB0A-8529-4951-92B2-1DF29352C75F/0/2011k2b15p15art.pdf [Access: 2012, April 14th].

[2] URL: http://www.cbs.de/de-DE/menu/themas/onderwijs/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2004/2004-1594-wm.htm [Access: 2012, April 14th].

[3] URL: http://www.rkw-kompetenzzentrum.de/fileadmin/media/Dokumente/Publikationen/2011_FB_Wifa-Malaysia.pdf [Access: 2012, April 14th].

[4] see Appendix

Percentage distribution of senior citizens by household type and sex, Malaysia, 2000

Source:
Analysis of the 2000 Round of Censuses: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELDERLY IN MALAYSIA, 21st Population Census Conference 19 – 21 November 2003 Kyoto, Japan

Population (percentage) of senior citizens in Malaysia, 1960-2020

Past, present and future trends of senior citizens, Malaysia, 1960-2020

Percentage of the population in major age groups, Malaysia, 1970, 1980, 1991 and 2000

Source:
Analysis of the 2000 Round of Censuses: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE ELDERLY IN MALAYSIA, 21st Population Census Conference 19 – 21 November 2003
Kyoto, Japan

Age - Sex Pyramid, Malaysia, 1991, 2030

Source:
Analysis of the 2000 Round of Censuses: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELDERLY IN MALAYSIA, 21st Population Census Conference 19 – 21 November 2003 Kyoto, Japan

Age distribution in Malaysia

Age and related demographic indicators, Malaysia, 1970-2000

Sex ratio for senior citizens by age group and ethnic group, Malaysia, 1970-2000

Percentage of senior citizens within ethnic group and age cohorts, Malaysia, 2000

Source:
Analysis of the 2000 Round of Censuses: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELDERLY IN MALAYSIA, 21st Population Census Conference 19 – 21 November 2003 Kyoto, Japan

Marital status and educational level of senior citizens

Percentage distribution of senior citizens by marital status, sex and broad age group, Malaysia, 2000

Percentage distribution of senior citizens by educational level, Malaysia, 1970 - 2000


Percentage of senior citizens by educational attainment and sex, Malaysia, 1991, 2000


Percentage of senior citizens by educational attainment, sex and age cohort, Malaysia, 2000

Source:
Analysis of the 2000 Round of Censuses: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELDERLY IN MALAYSIA, 21st Population Census Conference 19 – 21 November 2003 Kyoto, Japan

Variables for a long and healthy life

The most positive significant variable for a long and healthy life is education (Beta＝0.110), followed by practice of healthy eating habit (Beta＝0.08). Variables like place of residence, health Insurance, exercise, other ethnicity, member of any association and practice healthy eating habit have positive beta value. They indicate an increase in these variables and will contribute to an increase in economic well-being. These facts are summed up in the following table.

Source
Doris Padmini Selvaratnam, Norlaila Abu Baka: Economic well-being and morbidity of the elderly in Malaysia; Journal of modern Acounting and Auditing; Apr. 2010, Vol.6, No.4.

Telomere shortening during aging

This picture shows that the TRF length clearly exhibits a tendency to shortening with aging. By analysing the graphic it becomes clear that the Quantity One1 showed the average TRF length. M: Molecular weight marker. Lane 1: 0 year old, lane 2: 14 years old, lane 3: 26 years old, lane 4: 36 years old, lane 5: 46 years old, lane 6: 55 years old, lane 7: 63 years old, lane 8: 71 years old, lane 9: 85 years old.

Source:
A. Tsuji et al.: Estimating age of humans based on telomere shortening. Forensic Science International, (2002), 197–199.

Department of social welfare

1. Financial Assistance.
The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has a financial assistance scheme for poor older persons, especially those without next of kin. The scheme is called Aid for Older Persons (BOT) and offers a monthly allowance of RM 200.00 per person to be granted upon approval.

2. Homes for the Older Persons in Malaysia.
The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has 13 Homes for the Older Persons directly under the management of and financed by the government. Their objective is to provide proper care and protection for the needy elderly to ensure their security, treatment, and quality of life. These institutions are listed below:
1. Rumah Seri Kenangan Bedong, Kedah.
2. Rumah Seri Kenangan Taiping, Perak.
3. Rumah Seri Kenangan Tanjung Rambutan, Perak.
4. Rumah Seri Kenangan Cheras, Selangor.
5. Rumah Seri Kenangan Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.
6. Rumah Seri Kenangan Cheng, Melaka.
7. Rumah Seri Kenangan Johor Bharu, Johor.
8. Rumah Seri Kenangan Pangkalan Chepa, Kelantan.
9. Rumah Seri Kenangan Kangar, Perlis.
10. Rumah Ehsan Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor.
11. Rumah Ehsan Dungun, Terengganu.
12. Desa Bina Diri Mersing, Johor.
13. Desa Bina Diri Jerantut, Pahang.

3. Facilities and services for the older persons
The current facilities and services for older persons in Malaysia are provided by the government, NGOs, and the private sector. The government services are provided by the Department Of Social Welfare and include fields and institutional services to meet the needs of the poor older persons. NGOs provide services such as village homes or cottages for older persons to enable them to continue living in their own communities. The Care Centre Act 1993 under the Department ensures that the minimum standards of care and services in NGO-run and private old persons’ homes are maintained.

• The Health Ministry provides medical and health services for older persons including establishing Geriatric Care Units at the Seremban Hospital and the General Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Most health clinics in the country implement health care for older persons, which cover the whole spectrum of services to encompass health promotion, prevention of ailments and rehabilitative services.

• Major hospitals have special counters for older persons to receive their medication.

• The Malaysian Railway and Malaysian Airlines System provide concession rates of 50% of the normal domestic fares to older persons.

• The Employees Provident Fund Scheme contributes to the financial security of older persons who have retired from the formal sector.

• The Pension Scheme is a non-contributory scheme for civil services.

•  The Immigration Department provides special counters for older persons for passport application and Tax relief for family members who spend up to RM 5,000 per calendar year for the medical expenses and purchases of special appliances for their elderly parents.

4. The role of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations)
NGOs play a complementary role in helping the government to meet the social needs of older persons in the country. Based on data from the Registrar of Societies, there were 30,907 NGOs registered in May 2000, of which 3,218 were welfare related. The majority of NGOs provide institutional care and shelter for older persons in need.

5. Social Security
Currently, the social security scheme covers only those employed in the formal work sector. There are two schemes to cover those employees, namely the Pension and Employees Provident Funds. These two schemes cover only around 60% of the labour force in Malaysia, leaving another 40% of the elderly population, mainly from the informal sector or self employed people, uncovered or without a known source of coverage.

6. Health Financing
Costs relating to health care in Malaysia are soaring. It is a great challenge to finance health care for the elderly, especially for those who are needy and not covered by either of the above schemes.

7. Community Care
Social change transformed the traditional extended families into nuclear families. Many females, who are traditionally the family caregiver, joined the formal work force, and thus could longer more be depended upon to take care of the family full-time. In order to enable the family to continue providing care to older persons, family care has to be supplemented with some other forms of care, including community care. Increased allocations may require additional funding for the development of community care projects.

8. Training of Personnel
If better care is to be given to the elderly, the service provider must be given adequate training. Since service for the older persons is a collaborative effort of various government agencies, NGOs, and private sector groups with the Social Welfare Department as the focal point, it is necessary for the department to empower its personnel with proper training in order to care for the older persons. The same is true for various other government agencies like the Health Department, hospitals, local governments etc.

Source
www. http:// Community Services for the Elderly; Social welfare policies and services fort he elderly: A country report (Malaysia). 2007. Tokyo, Japan 

Ageing in Malaysia

Malaysia’s total population in 1997 was 21.6 million people with a projected annual growth rate of 2.3 percent. In that year, only 3.7 percent of the population were 65 years of age or above. Therefore, Malaysia’s current population is not predominantly elderly. Recently, the number of elderly people in Malaysia has increased. It is estimated that the population aged 65 and above will rise to 2.7 million by the year 2025. Older persons aged 75 years and over are expected to reach the number 833,000 in that same year. Hence, it is expected that simultaneously the demand for services for the elderly will rise as reported in the National Plan of Action for the Older Persons. In 2000, 6.2 % (1.452 million) people were 60 years old or above. By the year 2020, a total of 9.5 % of the population will be at an age of more than 60 years old. This means in another 10 to 15 years from now, Malaysia’s population will reach the “ageing level”. (A population is defined as ageing when a minimum 10% of its total population are at the age of 60 or above).
As a developing country, Malaysia has experienced escalations in the level of health and life expectancy, as well as declining mortality and fertility rates. These changes have altered the national population’s demographic profile, especially with regards to age. From the period 1970 to 2000, the ratio of young people (ages 15 years and below) declined, while the ratio of older people increased. The median age was 17.4 years in the year 1970, and it rose to 21.9 years in the year 1991. Furthermore, it increased to 23.6 years in the year 2000 and is expected to increase to 27.1 years in the year 2020. In the thirty-year period from 1991 to 2020, the median age is expected to increase an average of 1.7 years per decade. Finally, by the year 2020 Malaysia will become an ageing society with 9.5 percent of its population aged 60 year or more.
The demographic changes that happened in Malaysia are similar to trends that happened in European countries, for example, Germany. Comparably, over the last two decades people aged 65 and above have doubled in number in the general population. In the year 1986, the very elderly (aged 75 or more) were 35% of the population and that number is estimated to rise to 41% by the year 2020. In Singapore, the population of older persons is projected to rise from 8.8% in 1991 to 15% by the year 2010, and further to 26% in the year 2030. Though the growing rate of the ageing population in Malaysia is slower than for example in Germany and Singapore, the increasing presence of this group makes it impossible for the government to disregard the social and economic impacts of an ageing population. In response, the government has come up with the National Policy for Older Persons and in accordance with that policy, the National Advisory and Consultative Council for Older Persons was established. Meanwhile, a Plan of Action for the Older Persons was created.

Source:
http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/malaysia/pro-people.htm

survey younger generation

2) How do you spend your free time?

1. playing football
2. watching television, surveying the Internet
3. Going to the movies
4.  meeting with friends, going clubbing
5. reading, studying
6. dancing
7. playing tennis
8. going jogging, cook

• Grandma on her own, Grandpa at retirement home
• They are all gone by now

• She doesn't need help 
• No one 
• Pension
• Taken care of by their family, but still healthy enough to take care of themselves.
• On their own
• Nobody
• Dead
• Pension

• If they are still fit in their minds it is often quite enjoyable to have conversations with them. Unless their vision of everything is skewed by their inability to keeping up with modern society.
• They always want to talk a lot
•  Nothing special
• They are boring
• Normally I like that if they talk about their lives etc.
• I work at a restaurant, mostly old people come there, and I really enjoy listening to  their stories. 
• They sometimes just need someone to talk to.
• They are not interested in the things young people like. (except your own grandparents)
• If it's my own family.
• They have a lot life experience.
• No time
• I like their stories. They're having so much time and love talking to other people (even in their everyday life). So I like to listen what they have got to tell.
• To learn about their experience and wisdom.
• To give time and love back like they did in my childhood.
• I loved my grandparents, mother´s side, but in general I don not like spending time with elderly people.
• They always tell the same stories over, and over again.
• They like to talk about their past and storys from the second World War. And they are interested in    youngsters!
• Most elderly people are really nice, and they like telling storing, which I don't mind listening to.
• Sometimes
• Yes, because of the stories and knowledge.
• No, because they can be really stubborn.
• They always have interesting stories to tell. And they do know much more than one expects them to. 
• You can learn a lot from them like the stories, have a lot of experience.
• Age does not matter , if you like to spend time with people.
• Because giving and receiving are metaphysics for life.
• Sometimes. If I have enough time. They tell great stories.
• They are sooo cute and you can learn a lot by listening to their stories and they are happy, if you spend time  with them.
• They have a lot to tell.
• They smell.
• It depends on the person, not the age. I surely love my grandpa, but I can not spent much time with him. We're completely different kinds of personalities and I get mad if I have to discuss with him.

• Would never say no to a money earning possibility.
• Most of them are cheap.
• I am very busy myself.
• I'll find other ways to earn money.
• It is easy and fun to do.
• I earn more money in a regular job.
• As long as it is cleaning and stuff like that, I could never really take care of old people like nurses in  retirement homes do, I think that's an awful job.
• Don't like that type of work. I am not a social-worker.
• I would like to, but I do not have to get paid per se.
• Not the perfect job for me ;)
• They are never satisfied.
• Why not, Doesn't matter who you're working for.
• I don't need money from my grandparents.
• If they are not my patients I will not, because in the past I also got a lot help and education from elderly people. Help and education without paying money, this is what I want to give back.
• Money could make it worth while.
• It is Fun!
• Feeling good because you give something back to society.
• Earning money is a good thing and helping people is also good.
• I think I would help them if I'd had the money!
• You can help them, I have no problems to work with /for them.
• Because I was taught so. And I like to help people.
• Helping people is time and time is money.
• Earn money + help people = good job.
• They are not able to do everything and for us it's an easy thing to help.
• You are getting money? Is there any better reason? ;-) ok. I see... I think our younger generation is  responsible for the older people in our society.
• They did a lot for us, so we can give them something back.
• No time.
• Why not? it's a Job if I get paid.
• I don't think they pay as much money as you could earn with other jobs.

7) What kind of tasks can you think of and what would you do for the elderly?

• Definitely not care taking. I think I would be able to run errands and I am not able to give them up such for elderly people.
• Help them shop.
• Entertain them - old people love playing cards or watch TV shows with others... (at least my grandparents do!)
• Go to the supermarket for them.
• Play games with them.
• Shopping, household, playing a game etc.
• Cleaning.
• Play lottery.
• Cleaning, go for a walk.
• Cooking and cleaning for them or taking them out for a walk and talk with them.
• I could make TV-programs or documentaries designed for old people. Or set up events.
• Everything.
• Moving the lawn, doing some heavy tasks which they can't do anymore.
• None.
• Work in garden, doing little repair.
• Shopping, transportation, garden.
• To help in their everyday life by integrating themselves.
• For example: Cooking with elderly people or creating their leisure time.
• If they aren't my patients, I will not, because in this moment I have not much time. This could be changed in 5 years.
• In general it is possible to spend time in: Go for a walk, talking over the past, playing card-games together.
• Eat together
• Cleaning the house, cooking, shopping, taking them to doctors etc.
• Groceries, managing electrical devices.
• Going on a walk with them. Spending time playing games and stuff like that!
• Computer Trainings, Entertainment, Shopping
• Helping them in keeping their apartment, room or house clean. And by being there for them so they have someone to talk to.
• Shopping, play games or just talk.
• Housekeeping.
• IT.
• Technical stuff.
• Drive them to the doctor or other places, do their shopping,
• I would give them a better care at the care home.
• Play, do the shopping, go for walk, spend time.
• Shopping
• Administrational support
• Drive them from A to B
• Go shopping with them
• Drive them to the doc
• Help them with their daily tasks
• If it's paid, it depends on the amount of money I will receive.
• Shopping, cleaning, entertainment.
• Shopping, cleaning rooms, gardening.
• Everything. And I really mean everything!
• Cleaning their houses
• Gardener
• Housework and a helping hand in everyday life, but no health care.
• Shopping
• Driving them somewhere.
• Drive them to the doctor or other places, do their shopping,