Expanding Elderly Population a National Asset

KOMPAS/ADITYA PUTRA PERDANA

Residents exercise on 9 Aug. 2019 at the Wisma Lansia Harapan Asri nursing home in Banyumanik subdistrict of Semarang, Central Java. The nursing home provides care for 68 current residents who hail from Semarang and its surrounding areas, as well as from Jakarta, Surabaya and Palembang.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — As people get older, their physical capacity decreases. However, improving their health can allow some to remain productive. The government should therefore provide jobs that are suited for elderly people to help maintain their dignity and welfare.

Indonesia currently has an elderly population of around 25 million. The figure is projected to grow threefold in the next 25 years. “A large number of old people is a national asset,” Turro Selrits Wongkaren, the head of the University of Indonesia Demography Institute, said in Jakarta on Monday (19/8/2019).

Indonesian elderly, especially in Java, tend to be independent and prefer not to burden their children after retirement, even if they have no pension or fixed incomes. Consequently, they prefer to work while reducing their daily consumption.

It is believed that this willingness to continue working will become widespread among the elderly, especially the elderly of the future who used digital gadgets and information technology in their youth. As life expectancy and quality health increase, many elderly people will want to remain active.

“For some elderly people, working is not about fulfilling financial needs but about self-actualization,” said geography and environmental sciences lecturer Sukamdi of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), who also heads the UGM Center for Population and Policy Studies.

However, many elderly in Indonesia today work to meet their financial needs, as they do not have old-age insurance or personal assets, nor do they receive financial support from their children. Many work in the informal sector for low wages and minimum social insurance. The government has yet to dedicate its time to elderly employment.

“Job opportunities for the elderly are generally in the informal sector, such as trade and agriculture,” said social rehabilitation director general Edi Suharto of the Social Affairs Ministry. Educated elderly people generally worked in the education sector.

KOMPAS/ADITYA PUTRA PERDANA

A caregiver (far right) assists a resident during morning calisthenics on 9 Aug. 2019 at the Wisma Lansia Harapan Asri nursing home in Banyumanik subdistrict of Semarang, Central Java. The nursing home provides care for 68 current residents who hail from Semarang and its surrounding areas, as well as from Jakarta, Surabaya and Palembang.

The situation meant that a majority of people viewed the working elderly with pity, which was generally unwanted among the elderly, who wished to be appreciated instead.

Employment modelThe elderly’s right to work is guaranteed by Law No. 13/1998 on Senior Welfare. The central and regional administrations must map out the employment needs of elderly people who have diverse backgrounds. Industry 4.0 can be a point of consideration.

“The elderly must not be viewed as only good for taking care of their grandchildren. They can still work,” said Blora Deputy Regent Arief Rohman.

The types of jobs made available to educated urban elderly must be different from the jobs among made available to less educated, rural elderly. The elderly employment model of advanced countries may not suit Indonesia’s elderly.

For example, many elderly people in the United States work as greeters at shopping centers. In Singapore, many elderly are janitorial staff at restaurants and airports. However, these elderly employees are not exposed to undue work stress because of that country’s strong culture of hygiene. In Finland, elderly people help elementary school students read books.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

A woman shops on Sunday (18/8/2019) at Ngancar market in Banyudono district of Boyolali, Central Java. Central Java is the province with the largest elderly population in the archipelago.

Amid the government’s efforts to find a suitable elderly employment model, several regions have innovated their own solutions. The Surabaya municipal administration, for instance, provide minimum-wage jobs to the elderly in cleaning public signs and facilities, such as sidewalk ornaments. “We give the elderly things to do to prevent them from having no work, which could lead to illness,” said Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini.

Hanna, 68, a resident of Rungkut, Surabaya, who was interviewed while she was cleaning the ornamental spheres in front of City Hall, said she was happy with her job. It was light work, and she could use the money to pay for her needs. “For recreation,” she said.

Hesti Puspitosari, a lecturer of social welfare studies at University of Muhammadiyah Malang, said that the elderly must be trained in light skills. Rather than for earning money, this would help them socialize and develop social ties.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Sujiyem, 70, (right) serves a customer on Sunday (18/8/2019) at Ngancar market in Banyudono district of Boyolali, Central Java. Central Java is the province with the largest elderly population in the archipelago.

The Central Java administration also provides training for the elderly. Central Java social agency acting head Yusadar Armunanto said the agency provided batik-making and mat-making workshops for the elderly.  (ETA/SYA/WER/DIT/SON/MZW)