Elderly livelihood strategies in rural West Java, Indonesia

Ekawati Wahyuni, Bogor Agricultural University

The ageing process is inevitable in Indonesia. The number of elderly people in Indonesia is growing rapidly, while the availability of caregivers is decreasing. This demographic process is accompanied by economic and social development processes that influence the elderly care support system. Traditionally, in Indonesia, the elderly live in extended, multigenerational households and rely on their adult children for financial and personal care support. The development of industrial sector in urban area has pushed rural young to the cities and left their elderly parents in the villages. The majority of elderly people in rural areas still have to struggle to support themselves financially. Most jobs opportunity for the elderly is low paid, and this has made them live in poverty. The Indonesian government has implemented various policies to support the elderly population, although the major policy on elderly care is family-based care.