JOHOR BAHRU, April 14 — Homage, the on-demand home caregiving services platform combining qualified care professionals with proprietary technology has begun providing its services to families and seniors in Johor.
This marks the second Malaysian expansion for the Singapore-based company since launching its services in the Klang Valley region in 2019 and Penang in 2020.
Malaysia is expected to reach the threshold for an ageing population (15 per cent of the total population aged 65 years and above) as early as 2030. Efforts to improve aged care facilities in the country have increased in recent years.
But in Asian societies, the duty of care still falls primarily on the seniors’ next-of-kin. Young Malaysians are facing difficulties juggling this duty with their other work and family responsibilities.
This underlines the need for a holistic caregiving solution that can help seniors age with dignity and improve the quality of life for all.
Homage aims to bridge the caregiving divide by providing care respite for families and helping seniors age at home with grace, control and dignity.
Based on individual requirements, Homage will develop a personalised care plan with the person requesting for care and uses a proprietary matching engine to pair the senior with the care professional that best matches their needs.
Care visits and reports are managed via a mobile app that enables family members to receive real-time updates and share detailed information for a better care experience.
“We have been fortunate to be able to support many seniors and their families in Klang Valley and Penang since 2019. With our entry into Johor, the second most populous state in Malaysia, even more families will have access to our professional home care services, which will help reduce hospitalisations and improve the quality of their lives – which is especially important with the ongoing pandemic and especially for families living across the causeway who may not be able to be there physically for their loved ones,” said PC Gan, country manager of Homage Malaysia.
Homage’s range of care services include personal care such as showering, companionship and mobility assistance, as well as nursing care such as wound care management, stoma care and medication administration.
Homage’s experienced team of caregivers and nurses are also capable of providing specialised care for seniors with acute and chronic conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s and diabetes.
With the Covid-19 pandemic still rampant, Homage expanded its services in 2020 to include in-home and corporate swab tests. Upon request, a care professional will arrive at the care recipient’s house in full personal protective equipment (PPE) gear and perform a swab test according to strict standard operating procedures.
Care professionals who work in hospitals and those who do not are segregated for maximum safety. Not having to visit hospitals or a drive-through for a swab test lowers risk exposure especially for high-risk groups and reduces the strain on the healthcare system.
“Since the advent of Covid-19, our role as a bridge between quality health care and families with senior members has never been more important. Besides helping to alleviate increased stress on both family members and healthcare services, we are also doing our part to protect our seniors and ensure minimal disruption to their quality of life. Aged care should not be thought of as separate from primary health care. It is all interconnected, and we are proud to be doing our part across the region,” said Gillian Tee, co-founder and CEO of Homage.
To date, Homage has mobilised over 700 care professionals (87 percent of whom are female caregivers) who have provided thousands of caregiving hours a month across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang.
The company is currently looking for passionate nurses and caregivers in Johor who want to work flexible hours and to earn extra income while making a difference to join the Homage team.
All Homage care services are now available in Johor Bahru save for therapy services, which will be available in mid-2021.
In conjunction with the Ramadan festive period, Homage is offering a promotional discount of up to 15 per cent off per hour for personal home and nursing care services in Johor Bahru from now until 30 April 2021. This discount applies to the Homage care plans, all of which are valid for one month.
Families can download the Homage app and or call the Homage hotline at 016-2992188 to get started. For more information, visit the Johor page on the Homage Malaysia website at https://hmg.care/johor.
