Halimah, 70, accompanied by her father Mursalah, 100, makes a unique weaving of Bima in Ntobo, Bima City, West Nusa Tenggara, Friday (31/3). Despite her old age, she can make an average of three pieces of woven fabric per month which is sold at Rp 200,000 per piece.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The cross-sector preparation for ensuring a high quality of life for elderly persons remains unintegrated. With properly integrated anticipatory measures, involving all relevant parties, a surge in the elderly population should not be a burden.
University of Indonesia School of Economy and Business demography agency chair Turro Selrits Wongkaren said on Monday that, without proper preparation, a surge in the elderly population could have serious affects on a number of fields, including health, the job market and the economy. “Imagine if there are dozens of millions of elderly people in Indonesia. What lives will they lead and how we can ensure their welfare – we have to prepare for this from now,” Turro said.
At the National Elderly Day commemoration in Jakarta on Monday, Indonesian Medical Gerontology Association chair Siti Setiati said the preparation for a healthy old age begins by promoting healthy lifestyles among youths. Research shows that calorie-restrictive diets, physical activity, brain exercises and vaccinations are the main ingredients for preparing for a high quality of life in old age.
The challenge right now is developing long-term health care and establishing elderly-friendly environments in synergy with the existing health care system.
Health Ministry director general for public health Anung Sugihantono said health care for the elderly was not integrated with other sectors. Elderly health care facilities can be found at 2,432 public health centers (puskesmas) and 14 type-A education hospitals. “Preparation for old age should be done at all age groups with a life cycle approach,” he said.
Role of regions
A number of regional governments with high elderly populations have given special attention to their old age residents. Surabaya mayor Tri Rismaharini said her city administration continued to improve its elderly services, including through monthly medical examinations at integrated elderly health care posts (posyandu lansia) in neighborhood units (RT).
Every day, each of the city’s 14,900 poor and displaced elderly people are provided with meal packages worth Rp 11,000 (US$0.82) in line with nutritionists’ advice. The meals are distributed by community elderly care organizations (karang werda) and overseen by the social agency.
In West Sumatra, the Bukittinggi city administration allocates a portion of its city budget to the Displaced Elderly Social Assistance Fund (ASLUT) to ensure the welfare of deprived elderly persons.
The Madiun regency administration in East Java provides formal and informal social security for deprived and displaced elderly people. The local administration provides employment attuned to the elderly person’s ability.
