In Malaysia, domestic helpers, which includes maids and caregivers are regulated by the Immigration Department, the Ministry of Human Resources, and specific bilateral agreements. While foreign domestic helpers fall under the Foreign Domestic Helper scheme, caregivers lack a specific Elderly Care Act, meaning their regulation depends entirely on their employment status. (Source)

Domestic Helpers (Maids & Caregivers)

Migrant domestic helpers are strictly regulated by work permits tied to a single, live-in employer and must pass FOMEMA medical screenings. While local helpers can work part-time or live out, foreign helpers are prohibited from doing so. The legal framework includes:

Caregivers

Regulation depends on whether the caregiver is hired as a private in-home caregiver or through a professional agency.

Clearing Confusion

Malaysia currently lacks an Elderly Care Act, which means that caregiving is sometimes treated as a general service rather than a formalized, regulated profession.  Here lies the confusion from the public that a domestic help, often referred to as maid is used interchangeably with a caregiver. 

Here is the comparison for better understanding before you or your family hires to get the optimal care for your aged family members, be it parents or siblings.

Difference Between A Maid And A Caregiver

Real-Life Situations

Many Malaysians thinks that a maid can also double up as a caregiver, hence they opt for a ‘cheaper’ option of hiring a maid. Here are 2 situations to show the difference. 

A family in Singapore had several family members who are working as registered nurses in local hospital.  When the father was bedridden, they opined that their maid who has also looked after the father would be a suitable caregiver.  She also double-up as a maid.

Before the father passed away, he had a gaping bedsore which was so painful that when the doctors treated the sore, the old man flinched in pain.  The family members overlooked the bedsore situation and it was challenging for the maid to constantly turn the father to avoid bedsore. 

Perhaps it is also contributed to the father’s end of life situation resulting in the body being unable to absorb nutrients to repair the tissue.  He passed away without recovering from the bedsore.

Another family in Malaysia tried to manage caring for the mother who suffered from Parkinson and end stage renal failure. Both diseases were progressive affecting the mobility and mental capacity of the mother.

After months of attempts to cook, feed and care for the mum, in addition to regular work, the daughter decided to hire a day-care caregiver for the mother, catered food for the family and paid a part-time cleaner to clean the house.

The caregiver accompanied the mother for her dialysis, prepared her meals to feed her, took care of her personal hygiene, administered physiotherapy and took her out to the park or the garden when the weather is good.   Eventually the mother succumbed to her illnesses.  But she was well cared for by caregiver and her family was able to spend quality time reading to the mother, having meaningful conversations and taking her for short holidays and outings before she passed away.

When A Maid Becomes More Expensive Than A Caregiver

A local family who hired a maid to become a caregiver had to pay hefty medical cost as the maid was not trained to lift her care recipient and suffered from hernia. 

Without appropriate training, there is also an increased risk of unintentionally causing harm to the care recipient. For example, improper lifting or transferring techniques may result in falls, strains, or other injuries. This highlights the importance of ensuring that individuals providing caregiving services have the necessary training and competency to deliver care safely.

Ultimately, some families send their maids to be trained as a care giver which incur extra cost, after which they have to increase the wages of the maid.

Conclusion

There is definite evidence in the difference between a caregiver and a maid and the justification for the higher cost of a caregiver.  If the intention is to provide the best personal care you can afford for your loved ones, than hire a caregiver. 

If your budget does not allow, consider a nursing home,  which is different from a retirement home.   The nursing home should have trained caregivers to do the job.  However, as a family member, it is your duty to visit regularly to ensure your family member is well cared for.  Do take them out occasionally if they are not bedridden, to break the monotony of living in a home.

If you want to know more about care homes and caregiver certifications, you can look up Association for Residential Aged Care Operators (AGECOPE) and Malaysian Association for Social Care Professionals and Homes (MASOC).

Linnet Lee

Linnet Lee, CFP®, IFP®
CEO, Resolute Planning Sdn Bhd

Linnet Lee is the CEO of Resolute Planning Sdn Bhd, a financial planning firm licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia. With over 26 years in the industry, she has held leadership roles including CEO of the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia and Head of Financial Planning at Standard FA.

Key industry contributions include being the past Chair of APAC Forum for the global Financial Planning Standards Board.  She is currently an Industry Fellow for Social Wellbeing Research Centre,  University Malaya.

Regulatory contributions under FPAM include Team Lead for SC-led Joint Action Plan from 2017 to 2024 resulting in establishment of professional standards and best practises for LFPs as well as a dedicated website for their listing.  Latest initiative is leading the firm operating standards, established for licenced financial planning firms.

Her expertise in the financial industry spans across unit trusts, insurance, estate planning, and fee-based financial planning. She began her career in unit trust and later becoming a sought-after industry speaker, facilitator and consultant for organisations.

Linnet is a strong advocate for financial literacy. She regularly speaks at public forums, contributes articles to major financial publications, and appears on TV and radio shows.   She also conducts financial literacy workshops for employees and individuals.

She has also developed and facilitated sales, customer servicing and attitudinal workshops for different industries.

About THE AUTHOR

Linnet Lee

Linnet Lee

Linnet Lee, CFP®, IFP® CEO, Resolute Planning Sdn Bhd Linnet Lee is the CEO of Resolute Planning Sdn Bhd, a financial planning firm licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia. With over 26 years in the industry, she has held leadership roles including CEO of the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia and Head of Financial Planning at Standard FA. Key industry contributions include being the past Chair of APAC Forum for the global Financial Planning Standards Board.  She is currently an Industry Fellow for Social Wellbeing Research Centre,  University Malaya. Regulatory contributions under FPAM include Team Lead for SC-led Joint Action Plan from 2017 to 2024 resulting in establishment of professional standards and best practises for LFPs as well as a dedicated website for their listing.  Latest initiative is leading the firm operating standards, established for licenced financial planning firms. Her expertise in the financial industry spans across unit trusts, insurance, estate planning, and fee-based financial planning. She began her career in unit trust and later becoming a sought-after industry speaker, facilitator and consultant for organisations. Linnet is a strong advocate for financial literacy. She regularly speaks at public forums, contributes articles to major financial publications, and appears on TV and radio shows.   She also conducts financial literacy workshops for employees and individuals. She has also developed and facilitated sales, customer servicing and attitudinal workshops for different industries.

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