Coming Together for a Better Aging Society in Penang

I jokingly tell my friends, “If I don’t do something with my overseas experience and strong community and healthcare network now, nothing might change by the time I’m 60. And by then, I might not have the drive anymore!” But jokes aside, our aging society is a reality, and we need to act—together.

The Caregiver Burden: A Growing Challenge

As a member of the sandwich generation, I see the struggles firsthand.

Many of us are juggling young children and aging parents at the same time. When our parents grow older and need care, we face tough choices:

Quit our jobs to become full-time caregivers.
Rotate care among siblings, which often leads to strained relationships.
Hire foreign domestic helpers or nurses at home.
Send them to a nursing home—but are these homes equipped to provide quality care without costing a fortune?

Let’s be real.

Everyone will go through this stage in life. But are we ready? Are our caregivers—whether family members, foreign helpers, or nursing home staff—competent in basic elder care?

How do we balance Asian filial piety while ensuring we don’t burn out?

This isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a societal challenge. We need to find sustainable solutions that work for everyone.

Bridging the Gap: Solutions for an Aging Society

Here are some practical ways we can start making a change:

Empower everyone with basic elder care knowledge – If we all learn essential caregiving skills, we can support our loved ones while maintaining our own well-being.
Encourage active aging – Engaging in health, wellness, and social activities helps seniors stay independent and healthy longer.
Strengthen community-based support – Collaborations between NGOs, private sectors, and government bodies can make quality elder care more accessible and affordable.

Introducing the Elder Sitter Workshop

This is why SITI Network, together with NGO, private, and government partners, is organizing the Elder Sitter Workshop—a one-day event to empower families and caregivers with essential elder care skills.

The workshop covers:

✅ Safe mobility techniques to prevent falls

✅ Effective communication with seniors

✅ Understanding senior health & medication

✅ Planning meaningful activities for the elderly

✅ Personal care, hygiene, nutrition, and basic first aid

With healthcare professionals and community experts leading the sessions, this initiative aims to bring everyone onto the same page—so we can start making real changes together.

The time to act is now.

Let’s roll up our sleeves and build a future where aging in Penang is met with dignity, care, and community support.

Join us in this movement! Together, we're creating a better future for ourselves.

齐心协力，共创更好的槟城高龄社会

我常开玩笑说：“如果我现在不利用我的海外经验、强大的社区和医疗资源做点什么，到我60岁时，情况可能还是一样，而到那时，我可能也没有精力去推动改变了！” 但说实话，人口老龄化已经是现实，我们必须立即行动——团结一致，共同面对挑战。

照护负担：日益严峻的问题

作为“夹心一代”（Sandwich Generation）的一员，我深刻体会到现实的压力。我们不仅要抚养年幼的孩子，同时还要照顾年迈的父母。当父母需要长期照护时，我们往往面临几种艰难选择：

辞去工作，全职照顾父母。
在兄弟姐妹之间轮流照顾，往往会导致关系紧张。
聘请外籍看护或护士，在家照顾父母。
送父母去疗养院——但这些机构是否具备高质量的护理服务？费用又是否负担得起？

现实是，每个人最终都会面临老龄化的问题。但我们真的准备好了吗？我们的家庭照护者、外籍看护，甚至疗养院的护理人员，是否具备基本的照护能力？我们如何在坚守亚洲孝道文化的同时，平衡工作、育儿和老年照护的责任？

这不仅仅是个人的困境，而是整个社会的挑战。因此，我们需要一个可持续的解决方案，让所有人都能安心面对老龄化社会的到来。

填补空缺：迈向更好的老龄化社会

为了解决当前的困境，我们可以从以下几个方面着手：

赋能全民，提升老年护理知识 – 如果每个人都掌握基本的照护技能，就能更好地支持家人，同时减轻自己身心的压力。
鼓励积极老龄化 – 参与健康、养生和社交活动，让长者维持更长久的独立生活能力。
加强社区支持系统 – 通过NGO、私人企业和政府机构的合作，让优质护理变得更可及、更实惠。

长者陪护（Elder Sitter）工作坊：迈出第一步

SITI Network 认识到这一问题的紧迫性，因此联合非政府组织（NGO）、私营企业和政府机构，共同推出 长者陪护（Elder Sitter）工作坊，一个专为家庭成员、外籍看护和护理人员设计的一日培训，帮助他们掌握最基本的照护技巧。

📌 课程内容包括：

✅ 老人安全移动技巧，防止跌倒

✅ 如何与长者进行有效沟通

✅ 了解老年健康 & 药物管理

✅ 规划有意义的老年活动

✅ 个人护理、卫生、营养和基本急救

本次工作坊将由专业医护人员和社区专家授课，目标是让每个人都能站在同一个起点，了解护理知识，并推动社会共同努力，改善我们的老龄化问题。

⏳ 现在正是行动的时刻！ 让我们一起努力，为槟城的长者打造一个充满尊严、关怀和社区支持的未来。

📢 加入我们这场运动！让我们一起为自己打造更美好的未来。

Registration link: https://forms.gle/SkQBTffVWdj3DCuo7

Our list of speakers

Our Active Ageing Role Models

Mdm. Phaik Gek (64 years young), Mdm. Julie (69 years young) and Mdm. Stella Cheah (76 years young) will showcase their active ageing initiatives, which keep them going and occupied during their retirement years.