Surabaya, capital city of East Java Province, is Indonesia's second largest metropolis. For 30 years, the city has been growing rapidly partly in response to national multi sectoral economic development programs. The greatest growth has come in the manufacturing and service sectors. This growth has served as a magnet attracting manpower to Surabaya from neighboring ar-eas. Major demographic changes have evolved under the impact of the intensive family planning program that began in the early 1970's.
a. Indonesia's Population
According tothecensusof theyear2000, Indonesia hada population of 206 million
The breakdown of this populace is shown on the simple table below:
Indonesian Population Projections
b. Aged Population of East Java
c. TheAged Population of Surabaya
a. Awareness on the Elderlies
phenomena of a changing Indonesian population struc-ture, including in East Java and in Surabaya, has been a drastic one triggered primarily by the great successes of the national family planning program especially in East Java and Surabaya.
b. Government commitmentto policy development
As a conseguence of limited and unevenly disseminated awareness, policies looking at the needs of the aged in the past tended to focus on getting them placed in institutional care. This policy was inline with Law 6 of 1974 on social Welfare that, essentially, stressed the government's duty to support the elderly or to assist them with institutional placement.
c. Government measures and support
As a result of inconsistent levels of awareness and support, measures to date seem little more than an element of the work of the Departmen Sosial at national level and the Dinas Sosial at provincial level. This one sided approach has tended to merge the problems of the aged with those of the poor and other socially handicapped groups.
d. NGO and institutional Networks
Whereas commitments and policies focussed on the elderly anda only just begining to develop, many activities for the eldery remain intergrated with activities orientated to serving the poor handicapped/ disabled.
e. Challenges of the elderly
The basic problems and challenges thrown up by elderly care in Surabaya, as elsewhere in developing countries, are mul-tifaceted. They can be grouped under the following headings:
f. Substantial aspects of elderly management
As detailed above, substantial programs addressing the needs of the elderly are usually restricted to health care and providing institutional (panti)accommodation. Widersupportservices are, however, much more common in developed nations.
These include preparation for a second career post retirement, complete information concerning facilities and services available for the eld-erly - such as tax concessions, employment opportunities open to able retirees, and general preparation whereby workers can en-joy a dynamic and productive old age.
a. General Policies ForSocial Welfare
Until now, social welfare policy has been directed at reduc-ing the strain on families of limited means confronted by social challenges The government, whether central or regional, usually supports institutions - orphanages, special needs schools and other institutions dedicated to social service provision that help relieve these social challenges.
b. Policies for Care of the Elderly
Policies for the elderly are ultimately based in constitutional provisions, specifically Article 27 paragraph (2) of the UUD 45 national constitution (prior to revision) that clearly sets out "every citizen has the right to employment and a humane and fitting life'. This constitutional provision was acted on in 1965 through enact-ment of Law 4 of that year concerning "Providing Assistance For the Elderly".
a.Government Institutions forthe Elderly
Government institutions and agencies that handle the eld-erly usually go by the title of Panti Werdha.
but some services are provided by other homes for the aged (panti asuhan).
b. Private Institutions and Agencies
Government agencies mentioned above also cooperate with several commu-nity based organiza-tions operating at pro-vincial and municipal level to provide ser-vices for the elderly.
a. Institutionally based care
Handling of the elderly in institu-tions is entirely contingent on the facility operators and their level of profes-sionalism. The best of them go beyond providing basic services of food and shelter - they offer high standard health care backed by regular checkups and professional treatment.
b. Management through the Posyandu
(integrated village community health center) network
Aside from support provided through the Karang Werdha network, a development of the Posyandu's that began in 1983, many initiatives have been generated by the communities themselves and projected through the posyandu network.
c. Health Management
For the elderly who are ill, especially the poor, the central and regional governments, through the Dinas Kesehatan and Puskesmas networks, provide free medical services. These are available in the morning which means elderly residents in need of attention can be brought to these centers at these times.
d.Management of social handicaps/disabilities
In orderto provide broader social relief orsupportservices, the elderly homes "panti"s concerned conduct social events to which the general public are invited - especially those interested and motivated in helping their local "panti" residents. Sometimesoutside agencies also host events and activi-ties within these panti on behalf of the resident elderly.
