Access to Social Care: East and Southeast Asia Compared explores the challenges of accessing social care for older people across East and Southeast Asia. The book brings together case studies from several countries, including Indonesia, to examine how social, cultural, economic, policy, and welfare systems shape older people’s access to adequate and sustainable care.
One of the book’s contributions is The PRAKARSA’s research on the realities of social care for older people in Indonesia. Comparing the experiences of low-income older people in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Sumatra, the research shows that access to care is shaped not only by the availability of services, but also by family and community relationships, cultural and religious values, awareness of available services, and economic resources. The study also highlights regional inequalities in access to care and how the strong perception that families should be primarily responsible for caring for older people can deepen social inequalities and limit the role of the state in providing social care.