Burdens of the ‘Sandwich’ Generation and the Demographic-Bonus Opportunity
For the government, the sandwich generation is one of the target points that must be achieved in the development process. The sandwich generation from the middle-to-lower income bracket must be a priority.
The results of a Kompas poll regarding the heavy burdens borne by the sandwich generation are interesting to analyze.
By definition, the sandwich generation is often associated with the adult age group, which must bear the burden of three generations: namely their parents, themselves and their children. In reality, not infrequently, they also have to bear the burden of other extended-family members, such as siblings.
In the context of demographic bonus, the burden of the sandwich generation can be one of the obstacles in optimizing the demographic-bonus opportunity, in addition to directly having an impact on the quality of Indonesian people’s lives. On the one hand, they are in the productive-age group; but on the other hand, they can be hampered from being productive because of the burden they have to bear.
This situation does not only affect social welfare, as revealed in the results of the 2022 Kompas R&D poll, where the largest group is in the lower-middle income bracket. Another big impact of the burdens of the sandwich-generation manifests in their social lives, for example with high stress levels, which can then interfere with the productivity of those in the most-productive age.
Demographic overview
There are several demographic indicators that can be used to sketch the portrait of the sandwich generation in Indonesia. Based on the 2020 Census, the population aged 20-54 years, or the sandwich generation, amounted to 71,621,318 people or 26.5 percent of the total population of Indonesia. The population of this age range is the backbone of productivity in Indonesia.
In terms of educational background, based on national data, 10.8 percent of the population aged 15 years and over in 2022 are university graduates, 30.4 percent are high school graduates and 21.7 percent are junior high school graduates. The rest graduated from elementary school or did not finish elementary school.
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Regarding the preference for marriage, it can be revealed from data on the population aged 10 years and over according to marital status from 2016 to 2018. The amount of population with married status in 2016 was 59.12 percent, then increased to 59.24 percent in 2017 and in 2018 increased to 59.49 percent. From this data, there is no visible decrease in the preference for marriage for the Indonesian population.
This is perhaps because of the societal belief that marriage is not a burden. For example, there is a belief that each child will bring their own financial reward. Society also encourages a culture of shame if one does not get a spouse quickly.
According to Indonesia Statistics (BPS), the average number of people in a family in 2019 was four people. With this many family members, it is possible for the sandwich generation to later support their parents.
The vulnerability of the sandwich generation needs to be observed especially in the group of female family heads. The sandwich generation, which plays the head-of-family role, will, in such a case, have an even more daunting problem. Although not divided by age group, the data on the number of female family heads can still give us an idea. According to BPS 2021 data, the percentage of female family heads amounts to 14.38 percent.
Dependency ratio
Indonesia is on its way to welcome Golden Indonesia in 2045. A journey with a gift, namely the demographic bonus. Demographic bonus is a condition in which the productive-age population is greater than the unproductive-age population. Maintaining a balance of several important factors is the key for us to be able to take advantage of this demographic bonus as an asset and not a burden.
If not addressed and prepared for properly, the demographic bonus can create inequality and have an impact on poverty. This situation can arise, for example, due to an imbalance between the number of people and available jobs, the amount of food and nutrition and the unequal opportunity for education.
The demographic bonus can be seen from the dependency ratio. The dependency ratio is the ratio between the total population aged 0-14 years, plus the population aged 65 years and over -- both of which are referred to as “non-labor force” -- compared to the total population aged 15-64 years or the labor force.
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According to BPS data, the dependency ratio in 2020 is 47.7 percent. This means that 100 people of working age will cover for 48 people of unproductive age. Based on the results of the 2020 Census, the projected dependency ratio in 2025 is 47.2 percent, decreases to 46.9 percent in 2030 and rises again to 47.3 percent in 2035.
The lower dependency ratio before 2035 is a great window of opportunity for higher productivity in the Indonesian population. However, the huge opportunities for demographic dividends can be hampered by the sheer weight borne by the sandwich generation. The expected level of productivity from the demographic bonus can be held back by various problems that arise from the impact of the burdens of the sandwich generation.
Local wisdom and family culture
Indonesia has local wisdom and a strong family culture. The presence of children and parents, even relatives, in a family is still felt not as a burden, but rather as a gift and a source of happiness.
The culture of respecting parents and making them happy by reciprocal care is a value that is embraced and taught since childhood. Parents have a higher and more respected position in the family. In various traditions and cultures in the archipelago, parents still play a big role in the lives of their children. This is a distinct characteristic of our sandwich generation. This was confirmed in a Kompas R&D poll which stated that respondents did not mind taking care of their parents.
Support pillar
Apart from the culture and local wisdom, it is important to observe the situation facing the sandwich generation in Indonesia. Although the psychological impact of the burdens borne may not be very visible, in terms of welfare, the sandwich generation needs to be supported in order to strive for a higher quality of life for the Indonesian population.
The sandwich generation’s non-ideal situation is a latent one. It is not immediately obvious, but it can be a trigger for other problems.
Breaking the chains of the sandwich generation would reduce potential problems while at the same time enabling promising demographic-bonus opportunities. With an increasing amount of the population in the productive age, it is hoped that a big leap in development and progress can be achieved. However, the heavy burdens borne by the sandwich generation are an obstacle to the realization of quality human resources that should be formed during the demographic-bonus window-of-opportunity.
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Liberating the sandwich generation while maintaining the quality of human resources is important. Liberating this sandwich generation is a shared responsibility between individuals, families, communities and governments. Individuals and families need a supportive environment to be able to let go of their burdens. For the community, building solidarity and social strength is important. The government itself needs to sharpen the development programs that have been implemented.
From the perspective of the individual and the family, it is necessary to achieve an understanding that the burdens borne by the sandwich generation create a situation that must be addressed immediately. Changes in perspective and understanding of lifestyle, parenting and the power to be creative in finding sources of income can help the sandwich generation get out of the heavy squeeze. A non-consumptive lifestyle, not getting caught up in life trends that are not within one’s means and managing needs well are important.
For the government, the sandwich generation is one of the target points that must be achieved in the development process. Breaking the sandwich generation’s chains is important for reducing social problems such as poverty, health and low education. The government's attention to services for the elderly, especially in the health sector, is sufficient to help reduce the burden on the sandwich generation.
The burden of the sandwich generation can also be reduced if there is support from the government for the children they have to bear, such as in the fields of health and education. Special scholarships for children from sandwich-generation families can be prioritized. Economic-empowerment programs can also be aimed at them so that they are able to have a better source of income. The sandwich generation from the middle-to-lower income bracket must be a priority.
Margaretha Ari Anggorowati
Margaretha Ari Anggorowati,Lecturer at Statistics Polytechnic STIS
This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswo.
