Silent ‘epidemic’ of ageing

Tengku Aizan: ‘Malaysia has a rather short time to prepare for the transition into an aged nation.’

Malaysia, like many of its neighbours in Asia, is in danger of getting old before we know it.

CHALLENGES of the ageing population are no longer issues faced by developed countries. Developing countries are fast catching up and Malaysia is not spared.

In fact, the speed of growth in the number of the aged in developing nations is so alarming that innovative thinking at all levels is needed to address it if we are to avert a crisis, says Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Institute of Gerontology director Prof Dr Tengku Aizan Tengku Abdul Hamid.