THERE is a need to distinguish between senior citizenship nursing care and orthopaedic-related rehabilitation facilities to ensure patients and inmates get better quality care, says the Penang Consumers Protection Association.
Its president, Datuk K. Koris Atan, said often, patients from both categories are placed in the same nursing care homes when their needs and expectations may vary.
Penang, besides Perak, are now classified as an ageing state with seven per cent or more of the population aged 65 and above.
"We need separate facilities and sections for rehabilitation patients and those who are old and the destitute. We also need to see an overall improvement in the care facilities and emotional support."
Koris said that caregivers, regardless of whether private or public, must be specially trained, while recreational services such as a gymnasium, gardens, television and online services must be made compulsory in such facilities.
Those providing physio services must also be separated from those aiding the old with sports injuries and those with age-linked joint issues, like orthopaedic procedures such as knee replacements.
Seniors cannot be left stranded on their beds only, he said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia Centre for Education Studies senior lecturer and population ageing expert Dr Nik Norliati Fitri Md Nor said more attention accorded would strengthen professional care training, research and services.
This will enhance the state’s ability to address the challenges of an ageing population, she reportedly said.
Citing the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s 2026 population estimates, she said Penang had about 1.81 million residents, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 8.8% of the population, up from 8.4% in 2025.
This represented about 159,000 senior citizens, she said.
Although 73.1% of Penang’s population remains within the working-age group, she said the proportion of senior citizens had exceeded the national average.
Nik Norliati noted that both the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) had joined the World Health Organisation’s Global Network for age - friendly services.
But more can be done to ensure uniformity in services and the quality of it so the elderly can still enjoy a dose of quality living despite their frail conditions, she said.
The Penang Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PAWE) Jelutong branch is working with the MBPP to establish a day care centre for senior citizens by the end of this year.
Its chairman, Datuk Seri Lawrence Cheah, said the centre, which has more than 900 members, hopes to initially accommodate between 10 and 20 senior citizens who remain mobile and can participate in activities independently.
“The centre is expected to operate from 8.30am to 2 pm, offering hydroponic gardening, indoor and outdoor recreational activities, as well as exercise classes to encourage senior citizens to leave their homes and interact with their peers,” he said. - October 16, 2026.