The moment J. Susila Devi watched an elderly stroke patient die while performing her prayers before her eyes is etched deeply in her memory.
It was a poignant moment for the 50-year-old caregiver, who had the privilege of helping the woman fulfil her religious duty for the last time.
Never did Susila imagine that the occasion would be her final opportunity to help the woman perform ablution before prayer. Her experience is a touching reminder that the spirit of unity and tolerance transcends race and religion in Malaysia.
“The incident happened in Johor. I started caring for Hajah Zubaidah towards the end of last year. That day, as usual, I joked with her and reminded her that it was already time for the Zuhur prayer.
“So I helped her perform ablution and get ready for prayer. She passed away while in prostration,” she told Bernama.
Although she is not a Muslim, Susila said she was overcome by an indescribable feeling upon realising that she had helped Zubaidah perform ablution before her final prayer.
“The experience was deeply meaningful to me. It felt like an honour that may be difficult to experience again throughout my career in this field,” she said.
The experience also brought her closer to Zubaidah’s family, with whom she remains in contact even though her role in caring for and managing the late woman’s needs ended some time ago.
BUILDING TRUST, RESPECTING CULTURES
Zubaidah was not the only patient from a different ethnic background whom Susila had cared for.
Having worked as a caregiver for more than a decade after completing professional elderly care training under the TVET Elderly Care Programme at the Pusat Aspirasi Anak Perak (PASAK), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), she has cared for Chinese, Indian and Eurasian patients.
“I learned to respect the culture of every family. When I work in a Malay household, I make sure the patient is ready to perform ablution and remind them when it is time to pray.
“We have to adapt to their way of life and understand their needs.
“When we care for someone sincerely, race and religion are no longer barriers because, ultimately, we are caring for another human being who needs help,” she said.
She added that caregivers do more than provide physical assistance. They also build bonds of trust and understanding among people from Malaysia’s multiracial and multireligious communities.
PASAK TVET PROGRAMME PRODUCES PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS
The need for trained caregivers is becoming increasingly important as Malaysia’s population ages.
According to the Current Population Estimates of Malaysia 2026 released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) on July 27, 12 states are now classified as ageing states, with people aged 65 and above accounting for more than seven per cent of their respective populations.
Perak, with an estimated population of 2.6 million this year, recorded the highest proportion of residents aged 65 and above in Malaysia, at 10.8 per cent.
For Vicky Hanna @ Chin Wai Keng, 53, who has worked as a caregiver for more than 30 years, the development highlights the importance of producing more professionally trained caregivers to safeguard the wellbeing of the country’s elderly population.
“The professional elderly care training and certification introduced by PASAK not only builds confidence in caregiving as a career, but also helps produce caregivers who understand the cultures and beliefs of Malaysia’s diverse communities.
“I had been caring for patients for years, but after taking the PASAK course, I learned to do it professionally. We were taught in greater detail about caring for dementia patients, nutrition, wound care, stoma management, medication administration and various other techniques, rather than just the basics,” she said.
According to Vicky, the certification has also boosted public confidence in caregivers’ abilities while opening up more employment opportunities in a sector that is increasingly in demand.
She said she enrolled in the course after learning that the government was encouraging caregivers to obtain professional certification, while recognising the field’s promising career prospects.
Her experience caring for patients from different ethnic backgrounds, she added, had not only strengthened her ability to cater to their needs according to their respective cultures and beliefs, but also deepened her understanding of different communities.
TURNING CAREGIVING INTO A LIVELIHOOD
TVET programmes in elderly care are not only equipping older participants with new skills, but also opening doors for young people.
The career opportunities extend beyond providing care, with some participants using their skills to establish their own elderly care centres.
Muhammad Asraaf Hakimi Rosli, 29, is one such example.
He said joining the programme marked a turning point in his career, eventually enabling him to establish his own care centre.
Before enrolling in the course, Muhammad Asraaf, better known as ‘Along’ to his clients, helped his mother run an elderly care centre for about three years, learning the basics of caregiving through hands-on experience.
“After taking the one-week PASAK TVET elderly care course, I received many opportunities to work as a caregiver outside the centre.
“From there, I started getting my own clients, saved my earnings and eventually opened my own elderly care centre in 2025,” he told Bernama.
Asraaf, who began providing care services in 2023, said the training had enhanced his knowledge and skills in managing the elderly professionally, including assessing patients’ health conditions, applying appropriate caregiving techniques and managing their needs.
“At first, I did not see this field as a career. But after several years, I realised that elderly people will always need care.
“Clients increased and so did my income, which is why I decided to focus on this field,” he said.
His services include private caregiving at clients’ homes as well as care at his elderly centre. Some residents stay there permanently, while others attend during the day, from morning until evening, while waiting for their working children to return home.
He has also undergone advanced training in Japan.
Asraaf now employs five caregivers aged between 26 and 31, whom he sends for further training and certification to ensure that the quality of care remains at the highest standard.
Hoping to see more young people enter the field, he said his elderly care centre and private caregiving services now generate more than RM40,000 in monthly income.
STATE INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE ELDERLY WELLBEING
PASAK director Aldrin Ng said the programme, implemented under the Perak Santunan Kasih Initiative, goes beyond providing technical training by instilling compassion and empathy in elderly care.
He said the initiative, carried out through a strategic collaboration with the Perak State Secretariat for Women and Community Development, targets women, homemakers and job seekers through recognised modular training aimed at enhancing their economic mobility.
“This programme serves a dual purpose — strengthening the TVET agenda, particularly in meeting the urgent needs of the silver economy, while also creating employment opportunities for locals.
“Since its introduction in 2023 until July this year, a total of 416 participants have been trained and certified.
“Impact monitoring shows that 80 per cent of participants are now working professionally in the care industry, whether at private care centres, healthcare institutions or as private caregivers, while the rest are using their skills to care for family members at home,” he said.
Aldrin said PASAK adopts a hybrid approach to make the training more flexible, with theoretical sessions conducted online and practical training held face-to-face according to participants’ availability, as most are already working as caregivers.
The training modules cover dementia, stroke, stoma and dialysis care, physical mobility management, basic emergency assistance and the psychological aspects of elderly care to produce competent and professional caregivers.
Looking ahead, Aldrin said PASAK would strengthen its TVET elderly care programme from this year by introducing mandatory modules for those seeking to work professionally in the care sector in Perak.
He said the initiative, now under the supervision of the Perak State TVET Council, is also supported by a Technical Committee comprising representatives from industry, health agencies and care-sector players to strengthen training standards.
“Our goal is to make Perak the country’s main reference hub for licensing and TVET training in elderly care, while setting a benchmark for professional care industry standards in Malaysia,” he said.
PIONEERING PROFESSIONAL ELDERLY CARE
Last July, Perak State Women, Family, Social Welfare, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Datuk Salbiah Mohamed said the state government’s TVET Elderly Care Programme, introduced in 2023, was projected to generate a cumulative income increase of RM1.75 million among practitioners, driven by growing demand for such services.
As of December 2025, 66 per cent of alumni of the Professional Certification Elderly Care Course under the Santunan Kasih initiative reported an increase in their monthly income, while 25 per cent had managed to double their earnings.
Director of the Perak State Secretariat for Women and Community Development Jamilah Zakaria said the initiative not only raised awareness of ageing issues but also helped develop a comprehensive elderly care ecosystem.
She said the programme enabled the state government to provide training for volunteers and individuals interested in caring for the elderly and bedridden patients.
“The caregiver training is funded by the state government and conducted by PASAK. So far, PASAK has produced more than 300 caregivers, including volunteers who assist communities as well as individuals who have successfully built careers and businesses in the care sector.
“The state government is confident that developing this care ecosystem can strengthen the care economy while enhancing cooperation among various agencies in addressing the challenges of an ageing society,” she said.
Jamilah said participants in the TVET elderly care training came from various ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the fact that ageing affects the entire community.
“There are Malay caregivers looking after Chinese elderly people, and Indian caregivers looking after Malay elderly people. They may face challenges involving language or customs, but the training they receive helps them understand the needs of each individual.
“Perak wants to show that ageing is not an issue that can be addressed by one community alone. It requires the whole society to work together to ensure that every elderly person is treated with dignity, respect and compassion,” she said.
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