More aid needed for the elderly: Volunteers

More aid needed for the elderly: Volunteers

Volunteers assisting the HelpAge Indonesia foundation said on
Monday that 46 senior citizens taking part in the home care
program in Tegal Alur subdistrict, West Jakarta, needed financial
aid more than just visitors since most of them lived in poverty.

"They (the elderly) are happy whenever I visit them. But I
think they need more than just home care because most of them
can't afford their daily needs," Maryati, a 57-year-old
volunteer, said during a visit of a group of executives of
HelpAge Korea and HelpAge Indonesia to the subdistrict.

Both foundations have been implementing the home care program
for the 46 elderly people as a pilot project. Through the
program, a volunteer is required to visit one of two elderly
people at least once a week.

During the visit, the volunteers try to entertain the elderly
citizens by asking them to talk about many things including
discussing the problems faced by senior citizens.

HelpAge Indonesia has recruited 36 volunteers to conduct
regular visits.

Maryati cited the poor conditions faced by Minan, 84, as an
example. Minan lives alone in a very small house with poor
sanitation while seawater often enters the house during high
tide.

"Therefore, I hope there will be financial aid for elderly
people like Minan so that he can repair his house. Without such
assistance, it is unlikely that he can lead a healthy life," she
told The Jakarta Post.

A similar demand came from another volunteer Zainuddin, 54,
who said that when visiting the elderly people, he often advised
them to eat nutritious food. However, he only got "no money" as a
response.

"I hope the foundation can provide good food routinely for
them," he added. -- JP