Elderly short of secure retirement
Elderly short of secure retirement
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Many people look forward to their retirement as a time when,
after years of careful management, they can do the things they
always wanted to, but could never quite afford.
Eva A.J. Sabdono, a well-organized 60-year-old woman, ran her
own catering business until nine years ago. Together with her
husband, Eva had developed an attitude toward money that would
ensure the couple were financially secure in retirement.
"Thank God, I am luckier than most people my age. I am not
dependent on others -- yet, I realize that many older people face
frustration at the problems that come with age," she told The
Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The director of HelpAge Indonesia -- a foundation which aims
to empower the elderly -- Eva is busy most days with social
activities.
However, she says, not many older people in Indonesia have the
resources -- financial or otherwise -- to set up savings or
insurance schemes.
Of around 17 million senior citizens nationwide, only some
four million are financially secure, said the chairman of the
Advisory Council for Pension Funds, Kadarisman. Ministry of
Health data says there are around 19 million senior citizens in
the country.
Kadarisman -- who is also a member of the Indonesian Elderly
Institute (LLI) -- said that those who are financially secure in
retirement usually receive a pension, after working for state-
owned or privately owned enterprises, or for the state as a civil
servant or under the military.
"The remaining 13 million senior citizens are financially
reliant upon others. While others suffer neglect, as they have
nobody to take care of them," he said.
He called on the country's leaders to establish a social
security scheme for senior citizens, as specified in the
Constitution.
Kadarisman urged legislators to comprehensively discuss the
issue at the ongoing deliberation of the National Social
Insurance System (SJSN) bill.
He urged the revitalization of state insurance company PT
Jamsostek so that the elderly would be covered. "The premium for
insurance, for those who cannot afford it, must be taken from the
state budget."
Eva shared Kadarisman's view, saying all people needed to
examine their own lives, so that they could prepare themselves
for old age, as the state did not have the resources to take care
of them.
"It is unfortunate that most people don't think about making
preparations for their later years, while they are still
working," she said.
She mentioned the HelpAge Indonesia pilot project in Tegal
Alur, West Jakarta, as an example. The project is now helping
around 400 older people, who are unable to pay their hospital
fees.
"Worse still, many of them do not hold Jakarta ID cards that
can be used to obtain health cards," she said, referring to a
facility provided by the Jakarta Health Agency for free health
services.