(From left to right) Hanafiah Kamaruzzaman, IT Executive at NUMed; Dr Marwan Hadiid, ClinicalLecturer (Internal Medicine) at NUMed; Norasikin Darsono, Library Manager at NUMed; Associate Professor Dr Kartini Mohd Nor from NUMed; Dr Ng Chai Chen, Geriatric Medicine Consultant from Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru; Dr Lim Hong Tak, Geriatric Medicine Consultant at Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru; Dr Suhaila Mohamad Zahir, Psychiatrist at Hospital Tunku Jaafar, Seremban; Professor Dame Louise Robinson, Professor of Primary Care from Newcastle University, UK; Associate Professor Dr Suraya Yusoff, Organising Chairperson of the Symposium; and Nur Amirah Inshirah Ismail, Marketing Executive at NUMed.
It’s crucial to train future doctors with a strong focus on aged care, community care, and an interprofessional perspective, says Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) provost and chief executive officer Prof Vishna Devi V. Nadarajah.
Speaking at the virtual symposium on elderly care titled “Breaking Boundaries in Old Age Care: From Hospital to Community” on Aug 19, she expressed hope that the discussions would lead to tangible actions in both healthcare delivery and the shaping of the medical curriculum.
Held as part of the Forward NUMed series to bring together diverse viewpoints on medical practices and issues faced in Malaysia, the event attracted over 80 participants, including stakeholders from the Health Ministry, leading healthcare professionals, medical students, caregiving training providers, and the varsity’s staff and students.
The symposium addressed the pressing issues faced by senior citizens, who often contend with a range of health challenges, such as physical, sensory and cognitive impairments, and an increased risk of falls and non-communicable diseases.
These challenges highlight the critical need for a more holistic approach to ensure robust care coordination and management, a press release from NUMed read.
Symposium organising chairperson Assoc Prof Dr Suraya Yusoff said providing integrated care for older persons is a crucial strategy to prevent, slow and even reverse the decline in both their physical and mental health.
“It requires countries to place the needs and preferences of older persons at the forefront to ensure coordinated care,” she said, while stressing the significance of person-centred care and the necessity of working together as one team to deliver comprehensive, multi-component, and multi-interventional care.
Among the speakers at the event were Newcastle University professor of primary care Dame Louise Robinson; Hospital Sultan Ismail geriatric medicine consultants Dr Ng Chai Chen and Dr Lim Hong Tak; Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Klang family medicine specialist Dr Noor Harzana Harrun; Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar psychiatrist Dr Suhaila Mohamad Zahir; and Dr Wong Sweet Fun from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.
