Types of support received by co-resident & non co-resident older Malaysians

Dependency in old age is commonly linked to declining health and financial resources and thus, older persons have to rely on family members for support. Nonetheless, family support has been found to vary widely by coresidence status. The purpose of this study is to determine the contribution of co-residence status and selected demographic variables in predicting the likelihood of older persons receiving financial and/or non-financial support from children. A sub-sample of 1,273 older persons aged 60 years and above was obtained from a nationwide survey in Malaysia in 2010. Respondents’ response on the types of support received from children were collapsed into financial (monetary assistance and payment for: treatment cost, place to stay, in-home care services, and assistive devices) and non-financial support (household chores, care when sick and others). Multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess the contribution of factors on the likelihood that respondents would receive support (0 = No support, 1 = Either financial or non-financial support, 2 = Both types of support). The model contained eight dichotomous independent variables including sex, education level, marital status, employment status, co-resident status, health problems, monthly personal income and household size. Descriptive results showed that 78.9% of older persons co-reside with their children. Majority of older persons received both financial and non-financial support (64%), compared to financial only (11%), non-financial only (9%), or no support at all (16%). Chi-square test of independence found that there was significant relationship between co-residential status and types of assistance received. Multinomial regression showed that co-residence with children was the most influential determinant of support type, followed by employment and education of older persons. The full model containing all predictors was statistically significant (Χ2 = 196.512, df = 16, p = 0.001) and correctly classified 66% of cases, which was more robust proportional by chance accuracy rate, in distinguishing respondents with different types of support received. Reference group for the model are those who received no support. If an elderly were to co-reside with adult children, they are 3 times more likely to receive both support than not getting any. Differences in the respondent’s gender and health were significant determinants of partial or full support. While co-residential status affects the overall support for the elderly in Malaysia, the relative influence of other predictors must be given due consideration. The disadvantaged elderly or older persons at-risk should be provided with assistance so that they do not face unmet needs in terms of support in old age. 「为马来西亚独居和非独居长者提供的多种支援」 摘要 老年时期的依赖性往往与健康状况转差和收入来源减少有关，因此老人需要依仗家人的照顾和支持。但即使同住，家庭支持的方式也是纷繁多样。此研究目的是尝试查明根据同住状况和特定的人口变量，看是否能有效预测老人可否从子女身上获得经济和工具性的支持。子样本的数据是从2010年在马来西亚全国进行的调查所得，共有1273位六十岁或以上的老人参与调查。调查对象的报告显示，从子女身上获得的支持可分为财政支持（金钱补贴及支付医疗费用、住宿费、家居护理服务费和辅助器材费）和非财政支持（打理家务杂事和患病时的照顾）。调查使用多项式逻辑回归分析来评估调查对象是否可获得子女支持的因素（0=没有任何支持，1=只有财政支持或只有非财政支持，2=两种支持皆有）。调查模型包括八个二分独立的可变因素，即性别、教育程度、婚姻、就业、同住、健康问题、个人月入以及家庭大小。描述性结果显示78.9%的老人与子女同住。大部份老人（64%）都获得财政支持和非财政支持；而只获得财政支持，或只有非财政支持的老人则各占11%和9%；甚么支持都没有的占16%。卡方独立性测定反映同住与获得的支持有重要关系。多项式回归分析显示与子女同住为最重要的影响，其次为老人的就业程况及教育水平。包含所有预测因子的完整模型从统计学上来说是具重要性的（X2=196.512，df=16，p=0.001），而且以机会准确值来说它有着充裕的比例，能准确地把66%的个案分类，反映模型能区分获得不同种类支持的调查对象。参照群组是由没有接受支持的老人。如老人与成年子女同住，他们获得财政支持和工具性支持的比率，比什么支持也得不到的比率高出3倍。受访对象的性别及健康亦是能否获得局部或全面的支持的决定因素。虽然同住状况影响了马来西亚长者得到的整体支持，但其他因素的相关影响亦需要注视。身体有残疾或高危长者需要获得支持，让他们不会老而无依

Meneroka beban penjagaan dan kesejahteraan dalam kalangan penjaga warga emas terlantar

Kesejahteraan warga emas terlantar amat bergantung kepada penjaga mereka. Justeru, kajian ini akan meneroka bebanan penjagaan dan kesejahteraan warga emas terlantar di kediaman mereka. Kajian telah dilaksanakan secara kualitatif menggunakan teknik temubual bersemuka. Seramai 5 orang informan terdiri daripada penjaga warga emas terlantar di daerah Kota Bharu Kelantan telah berjaya ditemubual secara bersemuka. Hasil kajian telah dianalisis secara tematik menggunakan analisis manual. Hasil kajian menunjukkan terdapat empat tema beban penjagaan warga emas terlantar terdiri daripada tahap kebergantungan, masa penjagaan, tingkahlaku warga emas dan keupayaan daya tindak penjaga. Terdapat warga emas terlantar yang bergantung sepenuhnya kepada seorang penjaga sahaja dan tidak mahu individu lain melakukan aktiviti harian untuk mereka. Tingkah laku warga emas yang suka marah dan menengking menuntut kesabaran yang tinggi dan boleh memberi tekanan kepada penjaga. Sebahagian penjaga perlu memantau warga emas 24jam/7hari sehingga berlaku mengabaikan keperluan diri. Penjagaan berterusan boleh mengakibatkan penjaga mengalami ‘burnout’ dan ‘spillover’, seterusnya memerlukan masa untuk penjagan diri. Penjaga mengakui bahawa mereka berisiko mendatangkan kesan buruk kepada warga emas seperti menyakiti hati atau perbuatan yang menyakitkan. Kesimpulannya, penjaga warga emas terlantar memerlukan masa untuk berehat seketika (Respite care). Oleh itu, dicadangkan program kesedaran mengenai keperluan penjaga untuk berehat dan penyediaan kemudahan dan perkhidmatan Respite care oleh pelbagai agensi perlu diperluaskan ke seluruh negara

Susunan tempat tinggal dan kepuasan hidup warga emas: satu kajian kes di Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk meninjau hubungan di antara susunan tempat tinggal dengan kepuasan hidup warga emas. Data dianalisis menggunakan penyelidikan kuantitatif bertajuk Susunan Tempat Tinggal: Implikasi Kepada Kesejahteraan Warga Emas, di bawah pembiayaan Universiti Putra Malaysia. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa 124 orang warga emas telah berjaya ditemubual. Jenis susunan tempat tinggal warga emas paling ramai di Seri Kembangan adalah tinggal bersama tiga generasi (51.6%), diikuti oleh tinggal bersama dua generasi (32.3%) dan tinggal dalam satu generasi (6.1%). Peratus warga emas wanita yang tinggal bersama tiga generasi adalah lebih tinggi berbdaning lelaki. Sebaliknya peratus warga emas lelaki yang tinggal bersama dua generasi lebih tinggi daripada wanita. Kebanyakan warga emas di sini memperoleh skor kepuasan hidup yang tinggi. Ujian ANOVA menunjukkan perbezaan yang signifikan di antara susunan tempat tinggal dengan kepuasan hidup warga emas (F=4.055, p=0.02*). Warga emas yang tinggal bersama anak mempunyai tahap kepuasan hidup yang lebih tinggi berbdaning jenis susunan tempat tinggal yang lain. Walau bagaimanapun, Ujian Regresi menunjukkan bahawa susunan tempat tinggal tidak mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan kepuasan hidup warga emas tetapi disumbangkan oleh faktor kesihatan, tahap pendidikan, bilangan anak dan sokongan sosial (R2 =0.223, p=0.000**). Justeru untuk meningkatkan kepuasan hidup warga emas akan datang, maka usaha ke arah meningatkan perkhidmatan kesihatan yang lebih baik, pendidikan yang lebih tinggi, galakkan pasangan untuk memiliki anak yang ramai serta sokongan sosial kepada warga emas perlu diberi perhatian sewajarnya

INCOME COMPONENTS AND POVERTYAMONG OLDER MEN AND WOMEN IN MALAYSIA

ABSTRACT The study aims to identify the income components and the incidence of poverty among older men and women in Malaysia. A national data on Household Income Survey (HIS) collected in year 2009-2010 was used in this study. Data from sub sample of 16,325 out of 43,026 older persons was used in the analysis. The respondents comprised of 47.9% male and 52.1% female with an equal proportion living in urban and rural areas. The total net income was used to determine poverty status among respondents who reported receiving income. Income Per Capita was used to determine the poverty status. Results indicated thata there were 42.3% older persons did not receive any income and can be assumed to be dependent on others to support their living. Only 57.7% of the elderly received income from the four main sources namely paid employment, other earned income, property income and total current transfer income. Majority of the elderly received income from other earned income as well as total current transfer income. Overall, a higher proportion of men received incomefrom all sources except transfer income. A small percentage of the elderlyreceivedincome from paid employment. This reflects that majority of the elderly are no longer employed. In addition, a large proportion of the elderly rely on other earned and transfer income in old age. Older women are more vulnerable to poverty in old age. Even though a higher percentage of older persons, especially women, received income from total current transfer, however this income component is still insufficient to address poverty among older persons. Thus, as part of productive ageing strategies, focus should be given on providing more job opportunities to enable older persons to increase their income