The elderly group is one of the vulnerable groups that has not received the attention of all parties. Even though seen from the number of the elderly population in Indonesia in 2019 it has reached 10 percent of the total population. Research conducted by The PRAKARSA in 2020 seeks to see the condition of the welfare of the elderly and the social protection program for the elderly in Indonesia. An overview of the current welfare condition of the elderly is expected to be a reflection of the condition of the elderly in the future.
This study looks at the welfare conditions of the elderly based on the OECD framework for Measuring Well-being and UN principles for Older Persons. This framework was chosen because it is considered more measurable, but the selection of each dimension is adjusted to the characteristics of Indonesia and the Law on Elderly Welfare No. 13 of 1998. Judging from the condition of their welfare, the elderly in Indonesia are not yet fully prosperous. The elderly are a group with relatively higher poverty than other age groups. Indonesian culture also affects the living status of the elderly, where the majority of the elderly live in families of three generations and most of them have lower socioeconomic status. And the majority of the elderly do not have a definite source of income.
Although the elderly have various vulnerabilities and limitations, unfortunately the amount of protection received by the elderly is still very limited. The limitations of the program and the number of elderly beneficiaries indicate the weak commitment of the central and local governments in dealing with the problems of the elderly. Social assistance received by the elderly is also not able to meet the basic needs per month. Another interesting finding is that although the elderly generally have health problems, it turns out that not all of the elderly are covered by national health insurance. And not all first-level health facilities are friendly to the elderly. The elderly also often encounter various obstacles in accessing government programs, such as not having an ID card, family card and/or difficulty taking their own assistance due to limited mobility. In addition, legal protection for the elderly has not been considered even violence against the elderly is often considered a domestic domain.
This research is intended for all parties to pay attention to the issue of sustainability. Indonesia needs to be prepared to face the explosion of the elderly population in the future, one of which is by starting to prioritize the issue of sustainability in policies and planned programs. The role of local government is also very important, because many elderly people in the area have difficulty accessing basic services.
It is important for all of us as a society, both young people, productive age groups, pre-elderly groups to increase our attention to the issue of old age. If the elderly group is not maintained and their conditions of welfare, health and social existence are improved, then the elderly group will become a burden for the productive age group at the family level and at the state level. If the health condition of the elderly is poor, the burden on state spending in the health sector will also be higher.
What is the current condition of the welfare of the elderly in Indonesia? What is the implementation of social protection policies and programs for the elderly, whether carried out by the central or regional governments? see full information in this report. Please read!
