ADB Webinar: COVID-19 and the Wellbeing of Older Persons in Asia, 14 December 2020
Asia’s population is rapidly ageing, a trend that predates the ongoing pandemic. As COVID-19 does disproportionate harm to the elderly -particularly those with pre-existing health problems – how are the seniors in the region faring in this pandemic and what can be done to support them?
This crucial issue was deliberated by a panel of distinguished academics and experts on social and development economics during a webinar on COVID-19 and the Wellbeing of Older Persons in Asia organised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today (14 Dec 2020).
SWRC Director, Emeritus Professor Datuk Norma Mansor shared key findings from SWRC’s researches namely the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey (MARS), a nationwide longitudinal survey data of mid-aged and older persons on various aspects of ageing and retirement as well as the Rapid Household Income Survey (RAHIS), a collaboration with UNDP Malaysia which investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the socio-economic status of Malaysians during the Movement Control Order (April-May 2020).
Professor Datuk Norma was joined by eminent co-panellists Professor Naohiro Ogawa, Visiting Fellow of the ADB Institute and former Social Wellbeing Chairholder of SWRC; Ms Mary Ann Tsao, Chairperson of the Tsao Foundation and Mr Sang-Hyop Lee, Professor of Economics at the University of Hawaii.
