Elderly short of secure retirement<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Many people look forward to their retirement as a time when,
\nafter years of careful management, they can do the things they
\nalways wanted to, but could never quite afford.<\/p>\n
Eva A.J. Sabdono, a well-organized 60-year-old woman, ran her
\nown catering business until nine years ago. Together with her
\nhusband, Eva had developed an attitude toward money that would
\nensure the couple were financially secure in retirement.<\/p>\n
\"Thank God, I am luckier than most people my age. I am not
\ndependent on others -- yet, I realize that many older people face
\nfrustration at the problems that come with age,\" she told The
\nJakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The director of HelpAge Indonesia -- a foundation which aims
\nto empower the elderly -- Eva is busy most days with social
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
However, she says, not many older people in Indonesia have the
\nresources -- financial or otherwise -- to set up savings or
\ninsurance schemes.<\/p>\n
Of around 17 million senior citizens nationwide, only some
\nfour million are financially secure, said the chairman of the
\nAdvisory Council for Pension Funds, Kadarisman. Ministry of
\nHealth data says there are around 19 million senior citizens in
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
Kadarisman -- who is also a member of the Indonesian Elderly
\nInstitute (LLI) -- said that those who are financially secure in
\nretirement usually receive a pension, after working for state-
\nowned or privately owned enterprises, or for the state as a civil
\nservant or under the military.<\/p>\n
\"The remaining 13 million senior citizens are financially
\nreliant upon others. While others suffer neglect, as they have
\nnobody to take care of them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He called on the country's leaders to establish a social
\nsecurity scheme for senior citizens, as specified in the
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
Kadarisman urged legislators to comprehensively discuss the
\nissue at the ongoing deliberation of the National Social
\nInsurance System (SJSN) bill.<\/p>\n
He urged the revitalization of state insurance company PT
\nJamsostek so that the elderly would be covered. \"The premium for
\ninsurance, for those who cannot afford it, must be taken from the
\nstate budget.\"<\/p>\n
Eva shared Kadarisman's view, saying all people needed to
\nexamine their own lives, so that they could prepare themselves
\nfor old age, as the state did not have the resources to take care
\nof them.<\/p>\n
\"It is unfortunate that most people don't think about making
\npreparations for their later years, while they are still
\nworking,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She mentioned the HelpAge Indonesia pilot project in Tegal
\nAlur, West Jakarta, as an example. The project is now helping
\naround 400 older people, who are unable to pay their hospital
\nfees.<\/p>\n
\"Worse still, many of them do not hold Jakarta ID cards that
\ncan be used to obtain health cards,\" she said, referring to a
\nfacility provided by the Jakarta Health Agency for free health
\nservices.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/elderly-short-of-secure-retirement-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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