SANDAKAN: A new community-based eldercare programme has been introduced in Sabah to support working families while ensuring senior citizens remain active and socially engaged.
The Merpati programme, or Elderly Day Care Centre, provides daytime care services for those aged 60 and above, including supervision, meals, basic health monitoring and structured activities.
Sabah Women, Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Julita Majungki said the initiative offers families a practical option without placing elderly members in full-time institutional care.
“Many families today are managing work commitments while caring for ageing parents. This programme provides support without separating them from their families,” she said when launching the programme and unveiling the Merpati logo at the Sri Harapan Home for the Elderly here on Tuesday (Apr 14).
She added that the programme functions like a daycare centre, where elderly individuals are sent in the morning and return home in the evening.
Fees are set at about RM10 per day, with overnight stays available at around RM30. The service allows short-term stays of up to a week, with longer arrangements subject to discussion with the centre.
The initial rollout is expected to accommodate about 30 to 60 senior citizens and was launched simultaneously at the Sri Harapan here and the Rumah Warga Tua Air Panas in Tawau.
Julita said the programme reflects a shift towards more flexible, community-based care, allowing senior citizens to remain active while easing the burden on families.
“This is about maintaining dignity, social interaction and a sense of purpose among our senior citizens,” she said.
She noted that demand for elderly care services remains high, with existing facilities still limited in several parts of Sabah.
“If we talk about the need, there is always a need. What we have now is still not enough,” she said.
Julita added that there is a need to improve the quality of care services and encouraged greater involvement from the private sector to expand options for families.
“We need more care centres, not only from the government but also from the private sector,” she said, adding that a higher-quality paid care centre is expected to be introduced in Kota Kinabalu later this year.
Meanwhile in Tawau, Sabah Assistant Women, Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Rina Jainal said public perception that sending parents to care centres reflects neglect must change.
“Perceptions that parents are being abandoned when sent to care centres should be viewed differently. In reality, this ensures they are cared for in a more organised and safer environment,” she said after officiating the programme at the Rumah Warga Tua Air Panas.
Rina, who is also Kukusan assemblyman, said the initiative serves as a practical solution for working families who may not have sufficient time to care for elderly parents at home.
She added that the programme is being implemented as a pilot project in Tawau, Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu to assess actual needs before expanding to other districts statewide.
“Currently, intake is limited to ensure each senior citizen receives quality care. We do not want overcrowding as comfort and attention are priorities,” she said.
The Merpati programme is implemented by the Sabah Social Welfare Services Department under its Santunan Prihatin initiative.
Julita said such initiatives would become increasingly important as Sabah prepares for a growing elderly population.
“We need to ensure our support systems evolve with changing realities, so families are not left to cope alone,” she said.
