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Showing posts with label Couple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Couple. Show all posts

Sunday 26 July 2015

Ageing together: it takes a nation, family; more children if you can afford to

THE Government cannot face the challenges of an ageing nation alone, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun says.

The problem requires a joint effort involving the Government, local councils, developers, insurance companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals, she says.

“Everybody must be responsible and do their part,” she insists.

Giving an example, she says developers should plan townships for senior citizens to grow old within the community “like one big family”.

She says local councils also play a very important role in ensuring that the roads and buildings are accessible to the elderly.

To encourage collaborations between the NGOs, the Government gives incentives to corporations to run corporate social responsibility projects, she says.

She says individuals have to plan for old age by keeping healthy and active and saving for their future needs.

On plans to build more homes to accommodate the growing number of seniors, she says the ministry hopes to de-institutionalise homes because a family environment is always better.

However, legislation forcing grown children to care for their parents, is “not the way”, she stressed.

She says cultivating values like filial piety by stressing on the importance of family bonds through education, is preferable.

“We have nine (registered) old folks homes nationwide with a total of 1,590 residents.

“And, there are an additional two homes housing more than 200 bedridden residents, 70% of whom are above age 60.

“If we accept residents too easily, some will just send them to us because it’s convenient,” she says, adding that five activity centres for seniors will be built in addition to the existing 45 nationwide. The number will be increased steadily.

She says ‘caring complexes’ housing both seniors and orphans are in the pipeline.

“The idea is for kids to cheer up the seniors while learning from their elders,” she says.

She says better health services have led to Malaysians living longer with couples now having to care for their children, parents and grandparents.

Acknowledging that it’s a huge financial burden, she says the ministry is trying to educate young couples on how to better plan for their family.

Explaining that family planning isn’t just about birth control, she says it entails managing family finances.

“We’re not asking couples to give birth blindly but if you can afford to, you should have more children,” she says.

On June 14, Sunday Star front paged how urban parents can expect to pay as much as the combined price of a luxury car and a semi-detached house to raise a child up to degree level. The report followed a remark by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim urging Malaysians to have more kids to address the projected shrinking population.

National Council of Senior Citizens Organisations Malaysia president Datuk Dr Soon Ting Kueh is “very disappointed” that the country’s seniors were left out of both the 10th and 11th Malaysia Plan, lamenting that the elderly are a neglected lot.

“There is no social security for the old,” he points out.

Calling for a national forum to be held fast, he cautions that the country may reach aged nation status even before 2030.

“Everyone will grow old. The only question is when.

“We must tackle these challenges together but the Government has to spearhead the solution with a detailed development plan.”

While supportive of the Government’s call for couples to have more kids, he feels that it won’t solve the problem.

Suggesting a private pension fund be set up, he says it will ease the financial burden on families caring for their old parents while giving the seniors a sense of independence.

Seniors who are poor and without family must be cared for by the Government, he insists.

“There aren’t enough government old folk homes nationwide,” he says.

“We need at least 90 but we don’t even have one per state.”

Those who can afford private nursing homes are also suffering, he says.

He estimates there are some 4,000 private centres nationwide but only slightly more than 200 are regulated.

“Some pay between RM500 and RM600 to live in very poor conditions where seniors are hosed down instead of getting a proper bath.

“These unlicensed homes are stinky and the living conditions very undignified,” he says.

He feels that country’s healthcare system also needs to be improved.

“The waiting time is too long and there are not many geriatric doctors.

“The seniors will be dead by the time they get treatment,” he says, only half-in-jest.

But, he stresses, the seniors themselves must grow old with dignity by keeping active.

Soon’s deputy, Susan Suah, says there’s a need for aged-friendly housing.

The interior designer is working to come up with building guidelines. Some problems in current housing include the lack of bathrooms on the ground floor, switches that are too high up and poor lighting, she says.

“We have rooms for maids but not for old parents?,”she says adding that aged-friendly homes must be made mandatory.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (School of Social Sciences) associate professor Dr Saidatulakmal Mohd notes that while some supermarkets and shopping centres have started becoming aged-friendly, none of the new housing developments are.It’s worse when residential houses are converted into nursing homes for the elderly as it has been proven to be non-conducive to their wellbeing.

“We don’t need to wait until Malaysia becomes an aged society. Many of the elderly are already being abandoned and abused, she says.

“While it’s easy to point to the Government for a solution, it’s important to note that welfare aid for seniors has risen over the years.”

To cover rising public healthcare costs, she anticipates higher taxes for the future generation.

But unlike their parents, youngsters today don’t expect their children to care for them in their old age.

“This is because they are facing financial hardship providing for their family while supporting their aged parents and don’t want their children to go through the same thing,” she explains.

She calls on the Ministry of Women, Family and Community to bring back the ‘elderly in the community’ initiative to promote active ageing.

To be a developed nation by 2020, we need active seniors who can contribute to the nation but this is only possible if aged-friendly infrastructure is ready and the elderly are financially supported.

“In the UK, I saw seniors shopping for groceries, paying their own bills and eating out - which is rare here.

“In Malaysia, seniors are seen as ‘abandoned’ if they do these things themselves.

“The perception needs to change.” - The Star/Asian News Network

Related:

Image for the news result
Not ready to age

Monday 11 February 2013

Vowing to be different with the nuptials

Younger generation seeks to enjoy a modern style of marriage ceremony
A groom helping his bride to finish her makeup before their wedding ceremony in Zhengzhou, the capital of Central China's Henan province.[Photo/China Daily]

BEIJING: Wang Xiaoqiang, a 26-year-old white collar worker in Shanghai, doesn’t really care that the Year of the Snake 2013 is not regarded as a propitious year for weddings.

“I was told Lunar 2013 is not a good year to get married but that is something believed by elderly people,” said Wang.

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, there will be no li chun (the beginning of spring, one of 21 four-solar terms) during Lunar 2013. Some Chinese media have quoted Chinese experts as saying that it is “feudal superstition” to say Lunar 2013 will be “a widow year”, which means women who get married this year will suffer bad luck.

The reality is the young generation do not take the traditional belief seriously. Experts say there will be no significant effect on wedding-related commerce in 2013.

Wang is busy with matters such as booking pre-wedding photos and a video and looking for a place to hold his wedding banquet for his nuptials in October.

“Many people rushed to tie the knot on Jan 4, 2013, because they believe they will love each other forever if they get married on that day. But news reports said four couples who got married on that day have already divorced. How do you explain that? That day is not in the Year of the Snake,” Wang said with a big smile.

The pronunciation of 1314 (Jan 4, 2013) is similar to yi sheng yi shi (love you for a lifetime), making it one of the most romantic days on which to wed. There were 7,300 weddings in Shanghai that day.

Wang’s view is shared by He Lina, secretary-general of the Shanghai Wedding Celebration Association.

“Many people have asked my opinion about the so-called “widow year” and the possible effects on the wedding industry. What I want to say is it is superstition without any scientific support and there will be no significant impact on the wedding industry,” she said.

Looking around China, it seems the wedding-related business is not being affected by the “widow year”. Chinese media have already reported that in Shenyang, the capital of Northeast China’s Liaoning province, and Hefei, capital of East China’s Anhui province, wedding banquets to be held during this year’s May Day Holiday and the National Day Holiday in October are almost fully booked.

She admitted that there will be fewer people getting married in 2013. However, she said it was not caused by the “widow year”. According to He, there will be 100,000 people holding wedding ceremonies in Shanghai in 2013, compared with 120,000 in 2012.

“Many people born during the baby boom of the 1980s have already got married so there will be fewer people getting married in 2013,” she added.

He said the Shanghai Wedding Celebration Association forecast there would be lower demand in the wedding-related markets. Businesses in the wedding industry have been advised to up their game by improving service quality and presenting more cultural elements in the planning process.

Compared with the older generation who like to check the almanac to see which year or which day is suitable for a wedding, the young generation are more concerned with how to make the ceremony more memorable.

“We want to do something different and try to make it more impressive,” said Wang.

Having attended several wedding ceremonies over the years, Wang said wedding ceremonies are becoming predictable and too similar.

“You can figure out what will be presented even before the wedding banquet takes place,” said Wang. “The processes and content are so similar”.

To ensure guests do not get bored, Wang said he plans to play a short film before his wedding ceremony to introduce him and his bride. It will last three to five minutes.

“We will tell guests who we are and how we got to know each other. We will also want to share the happiness we have enjoyed during our love affair,” said Wang. “We believe every couple has a different story to tell, which can make the process lots of fun”.

Short films have become one of the most popular wedding services demanded by young couples in recent years. To ensure the best outcome, some couples will invite short film producers to shoot films overseas, paying all the bills themselves. The cost can be as high as tens of thousands of yuan.

“Many people watch idol dramas from Taiwan or South Korea so they have some ideas they want to present at their wedding ceremony. We help them to make their dreams come true,” said Ba Si, chief wedding planner with Summer-Vision Wedding Planning Studio in Shanghai.

Summer-Vision has generated high ratings for its services and product quality on www.dianping.com, a website for people to review and comment on the service quality they have received in China.

“Normally, young couples will provide outlines and ideas and we will help them to make it into a full story with certain scenes,” said Ba Si. “We believe the film will present the life of the young couple in a true and alive manner.”

The average price for an ordinary short film ranges from 6,000 yuan (RM3,000) to 8,000 yuan (RM4,000). The more requests, the higher the price is charged. The length of shooting time also affects the price. Ba Si says his company receives about eight orders a month for short films.

The demand from young people for personalised products is not limited to bringing new concepts and services to their wedding ceremony. Changes can also be seen in traditional products, for instance, wedding candy and its packaging.

In the 1990s, White Rabbit-branded candy produced in Shanghai was popular as a gift for wedding guests in China. In the earlier 2000s, imported Dove and Ferrero chocolate gained in popularity.

These days, industry experts say people still like Ferrero and Dove but are also looking for something unique.

"Other imported candy such as Italian-made Baci chocolate have been well received by the Chinese in recent years because young people want their guests to try something with a different taste," said Wu Chaohui, the founder of Zhenpinxuan in Shanghai. Zhenpinxuan is a retailing company specializing in wedding candy and liquor.

To make sure wedding candy can catch guests' attention straightaway, Wu formed an innovation team to design its packaging. The five-member team travels overseas every year to see what is new in the market and bring new ideas to the Chinese market.

"The cost of wedding candy packaging is a little high but the design is unique and you cannot find it elsewhere in the market," said a buyer surnamed Yang, who declined to reveal his full name. Yang ordered 500 packages in the shape of fish in 2012. "The feedback I received from guests was that it was unique," he said.

The increasing demand for personalized products might also help boost demand on e-commerce platforms. Many customers in smaller cities outside Beijing and Shanghai might visit online platforms to find new designs.

"The online platform can offer a much wider range of choice for us at better prices," said Li Dong, a resident of Ma'anshan in Anhui province.

Xie Yu and He Wei contributed to this story.tangzhihao@chinadaily.com.cn

By TANG ZHIHAO CHINAdaily.com.cn/ Asia News Network

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