Ms. Hamiza Binti Hamzah explained the lack of citizen awareness on issues affecting the elderly; and her plan to establish a volunteer network to improve community care provision.

1. The City

Since 1980, Kuantan has experienced rapid development due to the booming of its timber base industry, resulting in an increased population. In 1980, its population was 178,100. This increased to 254,000 by 1990. In 2008, the projected population for Kuantan was 429,100. 

In the 2001 census, 49.7% of the population was aged 15-64, and 4.2% was over 65 years of age. By 2008, these figures had changed significantly to 64.5% and 4.6%, respectively. The number of elderly was 19,300 in 2008, increased from 8,900 in the year 2000, and is expected to reach 28,960 by 2015. 

This increase is based on life expectancy and total fertility rate trends. In 1970, life expectancy in Malaysia was 61.6 years for males and 65.6 for females. In Kuantan’s State, Pahang, this had risen to 70.4 for males and 75.4 for females by 2006. The total fertility rate in Pahang State showed a decline from 5.0 in 1970 to 2.5 in 2006. This trend is also reflected in Kuantan, as is an expected lower fertility rate. 

It is observed in Kuantan that public awareness on caring for the elderly is still lacking. There are limited facilities available for the elderly to have a comfortable way of life and proper healthcare. At present, only 6 nursing homes and 1 daycare center are available, with 134 residents. Other facilities provided to the elderly include financial assistance, from which 465 people benefit. This number is very small compared to the more than 19,000 people aged over 65 years. 

An elderly care center under construction in Kuantan

To counter these issues, the Kuantan District Welfare Department will open a daycare service complex by mid-2009. An NGO called Pahang Muslim Council will also open a nursing home for more than 50 residents by 2010. 

Awareness, knowledge and skills among the decision makers, professional and operational personnel should be enhanced. The government sector must work closely with the private sector and non-government and community-based organizations in organizing and operating nursing homes, day-care centers and other facilities. Training of the care-givers and volunteers must be focused toward achieving the national policy on the elderly. 

Changes in values and mind-sets in society should be promoted too. At present, sending elderly to nursing homes or daycare centers is seen as negative. Therefore, better understanding on the good points of these institutions is to be propagated in Kuantan. In addition, admissions to these institutions should be affordable to the majority, and remain free to the poor.

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1. The Proposed Action Plan

The Action Plan formulated by Ms. Hamiza Binti Hamzah aims to establish a new volunteer service for elderly care provision. There are limited care facilities for the elderly in Kuantan, and the rising demand will be difficult to meet under current budget restrictions. With limited funding by the government and higher fees charged by the private home operators, it will be more difficult for the elderly to get proper health and security services. 

With private care institutions thus being out of financial reach for many elderly citizens, a large number of those aged over 65 are poor, with no family care, living alone but reluctant to move out from their house and community. The solution, based on the lessons learned from the AUICK workshop, is community-based home care. 

Current numbers of home helpers and volunteers are very small, so the situation is to be addressed by a volunteer service providing a better quality of life to the elderly. The plan will focus the on provision of volunteer care workers to help manage the Kompleks Penyayang, a comprehensive daycare center already established and run by NGOs in the city. 

The volunteers will visit and exchange friendship with the elderly, and help with cleaning and maintaining the center, as well as assisting the elderly to attend medical checkups; and provide massage and bathing help to the sick elderly. It is proposed that the volunteers work under a 5 hour per day / 2-day week schedule. Target volunteers will be citizens of all ages, with a first phase of 10 people from each of 7 Mukim (districts), to be supplemented buy 20 members of the city’s NGOs, making a total of 90 volunteers in the scheme. 

Over a 14-month implementation stage, mini-workshops will be arranged with target groups; youth and pensioner associations, community leaders and the private sector. The International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) faculty of medicine and public health in Kuantan will be consulted on the syllabus of the volunteer personnel training. The media will be briefed, and outreach activities will be arranged, such as distributing pamphlets and holding press conferences. 

The proposed length of training for volunteers is three months, and will incorporate basic first aid, massage and repair work. Depending on its successes, the project will be replicated in other districts. As an incentive to the volunteers, a reward such as a letter or certificate from a senior official, rather than a financial incentive, is recommended. This would give further value to the volunteers’ work. A ceremony covered by the media would also promote the program and motivate participants.

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Kuantan Action Plan Time Frame: December 2008 – June 2010

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