THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE MALAYSIA AND THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT TENA CHAMPIONS ACTIVE AGEING WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE LATEST MALAYSIA AGEING REPORT 2023
The Malaysia Ageing Report, a report on geriatric health & well-being, was launched today by TENA, a global leader in incontinence care, in an effort to promote active ageing in Malaysia. The report was supported by the Department of Social Welfare Malaysia, which is overseen by the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development of Malaysia, with the aim of raising awareness about our ageing population and spreading the message of living your best life physically and mentally as you age.
The launch event took place at Vinda’s SEA Headquarters in Klang and was attended by Encik Arfan bin Sulaiman, Director of Planning and Development Division, Department of Social Welfare Malaysia, Su Ting Nee, President, Vinda SEA, Dr Peter Ng Eng Pin, Urologist and President of Continence Foundation of Malaysia, key management personnel from TENA and members of the media.
The Malaysia Ageing Report is an initiative by TENA and a private research group to highlight the inevitable rise of Malaysia’s ageing population, some interesting insights into how Malaysian seniors view active ageing, the challenges it poses to the community and caregivers as well as steps we can take to ensure we stay active and live our best lives as we age.
Earlier this year, as part of TENA’s initiatives under the active ageing umbrella, they launched TENA Heroes. The campaign featured 3 advocates of active ageing and their stories, showcasing how these individuals embody the spirit of active ageing in their daily lives. This was an effort aimed at inspiring and encouraging the community to adapt active lifestyles mentally and physically without age as a barrier. This was then followed by the successful launch of Malaysia’s first ever band search for 50 year olds and above, TENAcity.
The day’s events kicked off with a welcome speech by Su Ting Nee, President, Vinda Group SEA followed by a speech by Encik Arfan bin Sulaiman.
During her speech, Su Ting Nee, President, Vinda Group SEA, said,”The launch of the TENA Malaysia Ageing Report is the highlight of our efforts this year. Our primary objective was to spread the message of active ageing to as many Malaysians as possible. Building upon the success of TENA Heroes and TENAcity, this report sheds light on the challenges brought by the increasing ageing population. It also presents solutions that empower our community to live tenaciously, unimpeded by age and socioeconomic factors, thus preserving their well-being and leaving a lasting impact.”
She added, “Today, we are honoured to have with us, Encik Arfan bin Sulaiman, Director of Planning and Development Division, Department of Social Welfare Malaysia. His support in championing active ageing validates and solidifies everything we have accomplished thus far. We believe that through this partnership, we will not only amplify our message but also implement actionable steps to ensure our community receives the comprehensive support they need as they grow older.”
The opening speeches were followed by a panel discussion, moderated by experienced and renowned journalist Ibrahim Sani. The panel consisted of Su and Encik Ahmad Tarmidi Nawawi bin Abdul Razak, Senior Principal Assistant Director, Elderly Division, the Department of Social Welfare Malaysia, all of whom spoke on The Challenges Of Ageing and How Malaysians Can Remain Active As They Grow Older. During the insightful discussion, many good points were raised by all parties on the possible consequences of an increasingly ageing population, the challenges facing caregivers, economic implications to the community along with suggestions on ways to approach and manage these hurdles.
In his speech, Yang Berusaha Mr. Arfan bin Sulaiman said “In the path of becoming an Ageing Nation, it is undeniable that there are still a number of Malaysians who are facing great challenges in ensuring they can continue to live and sustain their daily lives, especially as they grow older. In resolving these challenges, collective efforts need to be implemented in formulating long-term plans, initiatives and strategies for the elderly in our country.”
He also said that “In line with the government’s initiative, we believe that Active Aging should continue to be highlighted to ensure that the elderly in Malaysia can continue to live an active life with a minimum level of dependency. We applaud TENA Malaysia’s efforts in executing efforts to help the elderly and we hope that more organisations will also support this noble cause”
Before the presentation of the report to Encik Arfan bin Sulaiman, guests were treated to a muhibbah line dancing number, performed by the seniors dancing troupe, showcasing the spirit of active ageing through a medley of dance numbers cutting across all 3 cultures. This was followed by the introduction of the TENA brand film, encapsulating TENA’s efforts so far in championing active ageing before, for the first time ever since being crowned champions, an energetic performance by the TENAcity band.
TENAcity is set to tour the nation with performances in 5 major cities starting in June until October 2023 and Malaysian seniors are invited to come and participate in the various activities specially curated to encourage active ageing. Our official partners, Caring Pharmacy Group, will also be present at the tour stops, providing health check ups and talks for attendees of the event.
The TENA Malaysia Ageing Report will be available in 3 languages; English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese and will be available for public consumption via TENA’s website. To stay up to date with TENA’s past, ongoing and future plans to champion active ageing, please visit the TENA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TENA.Malaysia or TENA website at www.TENA.com.my
