06/07/2025

ON SUNDAY JULY 6, 2025 II theSunday Special

We try to get them back on their feet and rise above their problems.”

Faezah

Caring for Malaysia’s ageing minds W E always pray for that fountain of youth and sing about the desire to live forever, but we have not quite figured out how tion and reduced finances after retirement, can weigh heavily on the mental health of older adults. In particular, loneliness and isolation are closely linked to severe men tal health issues like dementia, depression and generalised anxiety disorder.

BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

“All of these women here at Mesra Home come from different backgrounds. Each of them has their own story, which is mostly heartbreaking and makes us question our fate when we are older. But none of them are bedridden. They are all capable of moving on their own. We provide physiotherapy for those in need and help them to at least be able to move their body parts, even the slightest,” Faezah explained. Mental health issues among the elderly deserve more attention and open discus sion. These problems do not just affect the mind and emotions. They can also make it harder for older adults to manage physical health conditions. Sadly, mental illness often goes unnoticed and untreated in seniors, as the focus tends to be on physical ailments. Even more concerning, mental health struggles can increase the risk of suicide and older adults are already at greater risk. That’s why it’s so important for all of us to learn how to recognise the signs of mental illness in the elderly so we can help them get the care they need to feel better and live with dignity. “At Mesra Home, we have women who come in with hereditary mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which they have been treated for their entire lives. On top of that, we also help those with depression and anxiety disorders.

lonely it could become and how difficult it would be to carry on when everyone else has crossed over to the other side. To carry on means witnessing everything around you change, losing your loved ones and ac cepting your fate as the last one standing. Older people (aged above 65) make up 7.4% of the population in Malaysia, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (2023). As life expectancy in creases to 75.6 years old, according to the World Health Organisation (2023), we are now facing the problem of an ageing population. The elderly in Malaysia are encounter ing the same challenges as older popula tions worldwide. They face health issues, experience loneliness and many battle mental health struggles. We often overlook mental health issues among these older adults because we tend to pay more at tention to their physical wellbeing and to handling other chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure or arthritis that they might have. However, the strain of these illnesses can take a toll on their psychological well-being and increase the risk of developing depression. Life events tied to ageing, such as the loss of loved ones, loneliness, social isola

As we age, we will require assistance with daily tasks and medical care, which often comes with a cost. Unfortunately, not everyone is fortunate enough to have children or family to rely on. Those who live long lives will find themselves alone without anyone to care for them. There are a lot of elderly care homes and centres where these people can go. These centres are mostly run independently and are not fully funded by the government. Mesra Home, for instance, is a care centre for the elderly founded by Faezah Ali, a certified nurse who has now devoted her life to being the carer of the older women she calls nenek . Mesra Home first opened its doors in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, before moving to its current location, a bigger building unit in Ampang, Selangor. The centre is now home to 22 older women who suffer from all kinds of mental illnesses, from bipolar disorder and depression to schizophrenia and dementia. Most of these women are either unmarried or have lost their husbands and have no children of their own. They were sent to Mesra Home by family members who could not care for them.

Singing is something that Faezah loves to do to bond with the elderly residents.