The health ministry said 18.8% of those aged 60 and above now live alone, up from 6.3% in 2018.

Despite the increase, the survey found that 61.3% of seniors living alone still reported strong levels of social support.

According to the findings, only 14.7% of elderly Malaysians meet the criteria for “successful ageing”, defined as having strong social support, no cognitive impairment or depression, independence in daily activities, and no chronic illnesses or well-controlled conditions.

The report also highlighted a high prevalence of chronic diseases among the elderly, with 73% having hypertension, 76% high cholesterol, and 39% diabetes.

It said 68% of elderly Malaysians have at least two of these three chronic conditions, while 30% have all three.

On mental health, 9.8% of elderly Malaysians were found to have dementia, slightly higher than in 2018, while the prevalence of depression declined to 8.0% from 11.2%.

The survey also showed that 30.6% of seniors are physically inactive, while 12.8% exhibit high levels of sedentary behaviour.

It added that 45.3% of elderly Malaysians have sarcopenia, while 60% are at risk of frailty and 10.7% are already classified as frail.

Sarcopenia refers to age-related decline in muscle mass, strength, and physical performance.

The ministry said the findings would guide the development of health policies for the elderly in line with national frameworks, including the National Ageing Blueprint and the National Dementia Action Plan 2023-2030.

It added that all stakeholders must prepare for the challenges of an ageing population by 2036 and work together to improve the quality of life of elderly Malaysians, with the aim of achieving successful ageing.