Most private homes for aged unregistered, source says

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Most privately-run homes for the aged are not regulated by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry as they are not registered with the ministry.

A source in the ministry said registration was not compulsory and most private operators were reluctant to register because they did not have proper standard operating procedures.

“We encourage them to register with us before setting up these homes, but we have not made it compulsory yet,” the source told Malay Mail.

However, the source pointed out the ministry was carrying out operations to register all the homes.

“If we make it compulsory immediately, the ministry will have to take immediate action on the unregistered homes and close them down. Many of the elderly residents will have nowhere to go,” the source said.

There has been concern more privately-run homes will open after the ministry announced it was no longer building new homes.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Karim said yesterday while the government wanted families to care for their elderly, the number of residents in the nine existing homes did not justify building new homes.

“The number of residents has fallen as more families now take care of their elderly,” she told reporters after opening the Third Asia-Pacific High Level Meeting for Child Rights.

She said her ministry wanted Malaysians to be responsible and not take the welfare of their parents for granted.

“The welfare of parents should be taken care of by their children. Why should we do it when it is their responsibility?” she said, adding the ministry intended to de-institutionalise the elderly.

There are about 1,600 residents in the nine Rumah Seri Kenangan throughout the country.

National Council of Senior Citizens (Nascom) president Datuk Soon Ting Kueh agreed with the ministry’s move but expressed concern for the elderly who have no living relatives.

“We believe there is a sizeable number of homeless, primarily in urban settings, as seen with the Nascom home in Setapak which caters to the elderly poor,” he said.

“The government should open up more such homes to take care of these elderly poor who have neither dependants, income nor means of self-support. Providing food, shelter and medical care reflects the ideals of being a caring society.”