Understanding the Counselling Support Needs of Elderly Caregivers in Malaysia

Informal caregivers, predominantly family members, serve as the primary source of long-term care for the elderly in Asian countries and even globally. In Malaysia, it is also common for informal caregivers, who are mostly adult children, to assume the major responsibility of providing care for their elderly parents. These caregivers often experience a wide spectrum of emotions, ranging from feelings of contentment to experiences of isolation and also many other challenges. This paper elucidates the main objective, which is to explore counsellors' experiences and views on the need for counselling service among adult children caring for elderly parent. Qualitative data was collected from in-depth interviews with five registered counsellors (age = 26 – 40, gender = 3 females and 2 males). Data was analyzed through thematic analysis to find emerging themes. Three main themes emerged: the need for counselling service, the content of the counselling session, and the type of counselling preferred. The results of this study offer recommendations for the provision of effective counselling services tailored to a specific caregiver group.