Kota Kinabalu: The Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) has been proposed to set up community care centres for those who do not have families to look after their older family members.
Making the call, Kapayan assemblywoman Jannie Lasimbang claimed many elderly persons often do not have access to proper healthcare, nor social services available, especially for those who are in the B40 and the very poor categories.
“Those in the rural areas are often left alone to fend for themselves when their children migrate to cities for better job or education opportunities,” she said in a statement, Wednesday.
Citing a recent case of an 82-year-old woman who died alone in her house in Penampang, Jannie said it is saddening.
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The National Day of Older Persons, she said, is celebrated as a mark of acknowledgement to the contribution of the elderly and also to ensure they are not forgotten and not considered as a burden.
The day is celebrated annually in line with the announcement by the United Nation that set Oct 1 as the International Day of Older Persons.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, it is essential to recognise that older individuals should receive care, protection, and support they deserve from their families and communities, in line with cultural values.
“Based on United Nation projection, Malaysia is expected to become an ageing nation by the year 2030 when 15 percent of its population will comprise of those aged 60 and above,” she said.
She added, access to healthcare is a fundamental right for older persons to maintain their physical, mental, and emotional well-being and prevent or delay illness onset.
“Access to social and legal services should be available to enhance older persons’ autonomy, protection, and care.
“Older individuals must also have the resources to navigate legal matters and receive the required support in their later years.
“Older persons should always enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms, whether in their homes or care facilities.
“Their dignity, beliefs, needs, and privacy should be fully respected, and they should have the right to make decisions about their care and the quality of their lives,” she said.
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