Economic programme for senior citizens soon

State to provide better care and support for ageing population

THE Selangor government will embark on an Economic Benchmarking Programme specifically designed to enhance care for senior citizens in the state.

State women, family empowerment, welfare and care economy committee chairman Anfaal Saari said the initiative was part of the broader Selangor Care Economy Policy to help identify and adopt international best practices in elderly care and senior folks empowerment.

She said analysing and implementing the practices would help create a more robust and supportive environment for the ageing population.

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“This programme aligns with the state government’s commitment to develop a comprehensive care economy that benefits targeted groups, particularly the elderly.

“The policy is built on five main pillars: advocacy and promotion; governance and regulation; caregivers and skilled workforce; investment and collaboration; as well as innovation and technology.

“These pillars will form the backbone of an initiative designed to distribute the responsibilities of care across the government, private sector, communities and families,” she said during the State Assembly sitting in Shah Alam.

She was responding to a question by Yew Jia Haur (PH-Teratai) on the state’s plans to help senior citizens.

As an additional approach, Anfaal said the state government would carry out research to assess the current needs and issues faced by the elderly, focusing on Skim Mesra Usia Emas (SMUE) members in Selangor.

A programme by the state, SMUE aimed to improve the quality of life of senior citizens.

“This research aims to ensure that the policy’s initiatives are directly tailored to benefit those most in need.

“Furthermore, the initiative is in line with the First Selangor Plan (RS1), which includes the ‘Selangor Silver Workforce’ and ‘Active Ageing Society’ to bolster elderly folks’ independence and empowerment.

“Additionally, the state’s women, family empowerment, welfare and care economy committee will host a welfare colloquium, a platform for exchanging ideas and discussing welfare issues affecting vulnerable groups, especially the elderly,” Anfaal added.