Temu Bual Senior Ceria iElder

1. 创立 iElder 的原因

What inspired you to start iElder?

My husband, Dr. Kong Why Hong, is a Western medical doctor and also a Chinese medicine practitioner, specializing in Integrative Medicine. Over the years (since 2012), we have been running clinics and care centers together, where we interact with many seniors and their families daily.

So, we have always known that an aging population is an increasingly important issue.

But what truly inspired me to start iElder was not my work, but my mother.

A few years ago, my mother accidentally fell in the bathroom while showering and severely injured her wrist. She was in so much pain that she couldn't stand up. Alone in the bathroom, it took her almost 2 hours to slowly crawl to the phone and call me.

And my father, who was at home, couldn't contact me immediately because he couldn't remember my phone number.

When I received my mother's call, it took me almost another 2 hours to rush home and take her to the hospital.

That day had a profound impact on me.

I kept thinking, what if there were better safety devices at home then? What if someone could have discovered her fall sooner? What if some technology, assistive devices, or even just a simple preventive measure could have made a complete difference?

I suddenly realized that many seniors don't want to live independently; they just lack a safer, more suitable environment.

That day, I told myself that what I wanted to do was not just medical care, but to combine medical care, technology, assistive devices, and care services to enable seniors to live more safely and with dignity in their familiar homes, and to allow families to worry less and feel more at ease.

So, iElder has never been just a platform for selling assistive devices.

It's more like a mission.

Because I hope that every family doesn't have to experience the same helplessness we once did.

2. 马来西亚家庭最常买错，或买太迟的辅具是什么？

If I had to say, I don't think it's buying the wrong thing, but rather buying too late.

Many families have one thing in common.

Before something happens, they all feel: "It's probably not needed yet."

Until Dad falls.

Until Mom has a stroke.

Until they're discharged from the hospital and need to go home, then they start frantically looking for wheelchairs, hospital beds, and walkers.

But by then, we are already dealing with the consequences, not preventing the problem.

I remember an old man who, the first time he fell, only suffered scratches on his hands and feet.

His family thought it was fine because he could still walk on his own.

A few months later, he fell a second time, fractured his hip, and underwent surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitation.

After that, he never regained his previous mobility.

Later, his family told me something I still remember to this day.

They said: "If we had known earlier, that it was just a matter of installing a few grab bars, maybe things wouldn't be this way today."

I think that kind of regret is the most heartbreaking.

I've observed a very interesting phenomenon.

Many parents are willing to spend thousands of dollars to buy the best desks and best school supplies for their children, because they feel that their children have decades of life ahead, and this is a worthwhile investment.

But when it comes to their own parents, the mindset is different.

Many people think: "This walker is only temporary, right?" "The wheelchair probably won't be needed for long, right?" "Just buy a cheaper one."

As a result, they often choose the cheapest product, not the most suitable one.

But assistive devices are different from ordinary consumer goods; it's not about being cheaper, it's about whether it can truly solve the problem.

If a bath chair is not stable enough, a walker is not the right height, or a wheelchair is uncomfortable, seniors may be unwilling to use it, or even increase the risk of falling. In the end, buying it would be pointless, and they would have to spend money again to buy a new one.

I often tell family members, don't ask which is the cheapest, but which is the most suitable.

Because a truly suitable assistive device not only helps seniors but also reduces the daily burden on caregivers, making the whole family feel a little more at ease.

Sometimes, we are not spending money, but investing in our parents' safety, dignity, and the peace of mind of the whole family.

3. 有没有一个简单的辅具，却改变了一整个家庭？

Yes, and there are many such cases.

I most vividly remember an aunt who suffered from Parkinson's disease.

She was very resistant to using a wheelchair.

She felt that using a wheelchair meant she was truly old.

Later, we didn't force her.

We just suggested she try a walker.

A week later, her daughter called me.

She said: "Olivia, do you know? Mom walked to the garden by herself to sunbathe today."

It's such a simple thing.

But you'll find that for seniors, it's not just about walking to the garden.

It means she still has the ability to decide what she wants to do today.

And for her daughter, who cares for her, she doesn't have to constantly worry about her mother falling.

So I've always believed.

Good assistive devices don't make people dependent.

Instead, they allow a person to continue being independent.

4. 一个最难忘的居家改造案例

Many people think that seniors fall because of poor health.

But I often say that many times, it's the house itself that has problems first.

Once, we conducted a home assessment at an aunt's house.

Every day, she had to navigate a small threshold at the bathroom door.

For us young people, stepping over it is no big deal.

But every time, she had to hold onto the wall and carefully step over it.

Later, she actually fell at that spot.

After that, we made some adjustments for her.

Installed grab bars.

Improved the lighting.

Removed the easily slippery rugs.

Redesigned the bathroom to be more accessible.

It actually didn't cost much money.

But afterwards, she could safely shower and go to the toilet by herself again.

This made me believe even more.

A home, if well-designed, is a caregiver in itself.

If poorly designed, even the healthiest person can have an accident.

5. 如果可以改变马来西亚未来的养老环境，最希望先改善什么？

I hope that in the future, every family can easily access professional home safety assessments.

Because the biggest problem now is not that people are unwilling to spend money.

Rather, they don't know how to start.

Should grab bars be installed?

When is a walker needed?

Where exactly are the dangers in the bathroom?

Many families rely on searching for information online themselves.

However, the situation of each senior is actually different.

If in the future, we could have more professional assessment services, more comprehensive subsidies for assistive devices, easier-to-apply-for home renovation programs, plus more public education, I believe many falls and many hospitalizations could actually be prevented.

I have always felt that aging should not just be a medical issue.

It should be more of a lifestyle design.

Because everyone will grow old.

And the environment we prepare for seniors today is actually preparing for our future selves.