As Malaysia ages its health and social care systems will have
to adapt to a changing pattern of disease and dependency.
Improved public health measures extend life expectancy at
the relative expense of increased prevalence of currently
incurable conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s
disease. In this article we discuss how these demographic
changes will impact and suggest possible means of coping
with the altered epidemiology of disease and disability.
Malaysia will need to swiftly develop sufficient expertise in
acute Geriatric Medicine, rehabilitation of older people; the
management of long-term conditions in older people with
multiple complex problems within Primary Care; as well as an
infrastructure for home and institutional care.