Care Concierge aims to utilise the funding they received from the Gobi Dana Impak Ventures (GDIV) fund in realising their vision of providing innovative solutions through technology and design thinking, to emerge as the leading provider of Holistic Senior Care in Malaysia.
Care Concierge will allocate the funds received from GDIV to support the company’s strategic expansion plans, primarily focused on two (2) key areas. The first will focus towards the development of professional and certified caregivers through the establishment of the “Care Concierge Academy,” which will provide upskilling opportunities and a clear career path for professional caregivers.
Secondly, it will be channelled towards the enhancement of the “Care Concierge App” with advanced technology. The Care Concierge apps will serve a two-pronged approach, serving as the primary learning platform for students and lecturers and provide an easy online access to study materials.
At the same time, it will also be the main digitalized support platform to improve the quality and efficiency of senior care services. These initiatives represent a significant investment in the company’s commitment to providing excellent care services and further strengthening its position as a leader in the senior care industry.
As part of Care Concierge’s founders’ mission to uplift the senior care industry, the “Care Concierge Academy” was established in partnership with a leading local university, “Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman” (UTAR). Its primary role is to provide training, certification and equipping Caregivers with the necessary qualifications for effective best-in-class care to seniors.
This will not only uplift the Caregivers profession, but also address the shortage of quality professional Caregivers and provide a fulfilling career path in this emerging industry. Therefore, a large portion of the fund will be utilised to strengthen the “Care Concierge Academy”, in the recruitment of the B40 youths (Individuals under the age of 30 belonging to households with a monthly income within the bottom 40% of the population), to encourage them on this viable and emerging career path.
Along with certifications, the academy will also review and expand their efforts to ramp up on recruitment and through this, Care Concierge will expand their senior living services footprint to other key cities.
Over the years, Care Concierge has onboarded about 2,000 professional caregivers and specialists, delivering over 6.6 million hours of services to their clients. Part of the fund that will be utilised to enhance the app will also incorporate IoT technology to provide seniors with a more personalised and effective care, for their safety, at the same time to support and guide them to live healthier and more independent lives.
The Care Concierge app also facilitates transparency in communications for the community of professional caregivers, other care specialists, seniors and their families. It tracks and monitors vitals, and logs tasks performed throughout the day, providing a summary of care for family members, who may be on-the-go or overseas.
Care Concierge believes that their “Person-Centred Care” holistic approach ensures that the senior’s physical, cognitive and psychosocial well-being through professional caregivers.
Today, Care Concierge, provides quality senior living care solutions, throughout their six (6), lifestyle oriented Assisted Living Residences, totalling more than 350 rooms, within Klang Valley and Penang.
With the additional funding received in this exercise, Care Concierge is expected to rollout an additional 1,000 rooms in the next 3 years. When it comes to senior living care, Asia is relatively new to the emerging lifestyle-oriented environment residences, with person-centred care approach.
The perception of senior living concept in Malaysia, is still tied to the stigma of welfare old folks homes and unfilial children. In line with UN’s description of a community with 7% of the population aged 65 years and above, Malaysia is now officially considered an ageing country and will reach 7.3% of national population in 2023.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM), Malaysia’s ageing population is growing at a faster-than-expected rate, where more than 15% of its population will be above the age of 65 by 2050. The repercussions of a larger old-age population will be labour shortages and the potential risk of insufficient old-age care and income security.
Care Concierge Founder and CEO, Martin Yap, said, “Our mission at Care Concierge is to enrich the quality of life for the seniors and their family within their community, to lead a meaningful and purposeful life. We strive to ensure that the seniors have access to quality care and services, and that their communities are built with their needs in mind.”
He added, “With this in mind, we are committed to investing in developing professionals and expertise for the Caregiver’s profession to cater to the care of our ageing population. In collaboration with the government and higher learning institutions, Care Concierge Academy aims to support a healthy social and economic impact by providing the right and best care continuously for our seniors in generations to come.”