MALAYSIA’S caregiving challenge does not end with recruiting more people into the profession – it also lies in ensuring they have the support to sustain the role.
Experts say strengthening the caregiving ecosystem, from emotional support and professional training to family-friendly policies, is essential to prevent burnout and ensure quality care for an ageing population.
IMU University psychology senior lecturer Dr Teoh Gaik Kin said access to proper training, emotional support and financial assistance plays a far greater role in shaping a caregiver’s capacity to manage stress and provide quality care.
She emphasised that the caregiver’s ability to cope with caregiving responsibilities is not determined by age, but by access to infrastructure.
“A younger caregiver operating without guidance or support may struggle just as much as an older caregiver, while an elderly caregiver with strong networks and resources can thrive in their role,” she noted.
Teoh also pointed out that it is unrealistic to expect caregivers to care for their parents or care recipients without becoming emotionally overwhelmed themselves.
“In reality, the overall care quality is significantly influenced by the extent of emotional involvement demonstrated by caregivers,” she said.
She stressed that conflict itself is not the problem.
Rather, societal expectations surrounding conflict often make caregiving more challenging.
“The fault-finding mindset – where someone must be blamed – or the assumption that younger caregivers should ‘obey’ and unquestioningly show respect to older care recipients during disputes, reinforces unhelpful dynamics,” she explained.
Drawing from both her clinical experience and research, Teoh said caregivers and care recipients should be allowed space to adapt as caregiving needs evolve, whether a person’s condition improves or deteriorates.
“Allowing such openness not only safeguards their well-being but also enhances the sustainability of the care they provide,” she added.
Supporting individual caregivers is only one piece of the puzzle.
Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society vice president Dr Wong Teck Wee said governments must also create supportive policies that make caregiving sustainable, whether for professional caregivers or family members.
“If we make caregiving financially and logistically possible – through tax incentives, caregiver leave and accessible respite services – we empower children to care for parents out of love rather than obligation,” he shared.
On legislating care for parents, he stressed that it is a complex and potentially counterproductive path, even though “filial piety” remains a core cultural value in Malaysia.
A legal framework, he argued, should only serve as a safeguard against severe neglect or abuse, rather than a substitute for a comprehensive social support system that nurtures family bonds.
“This is because care driven solely by legal fear lacks the empathy and human connection essential for an elderly person’s true quality of life,” he said.
