Older Persons in Indonesia: Sources of Income and Social Protection

Abstract

AbstractIndonesia is on the threshold of population ageing as it is approaching 10% of the total population, which will bring social, health, and economic consequences, including increasing demand for services and protection to maintain older people’s quality of life and well-being. While in general, older persons are more disadvantaged and vulnerable than the rest of the population. Some groups of older persons that are more vulnerable than the others are the oldest old, female older persons, and those who live alone. Many older persons still rely on the labor income of older persons. In comparison, female older persons and the oldest old rely more on informal transfers in cash and kind from family, relatives, or other persons. However, the employment of older persons is characterized by a very high proportion of informal sector, and quite many older persons have low income and work long hours. These situations point out the urgent need for social protection for older persons in Indonesia. While various social protection schemes have been implemented, there is still the need for social protection targeted on older persons because of their declining functional capacity and an increased chance of noncommunicable diseases and disabilities.KeywordsAgeingPopulation ageingIndonesiaSources of incomeSocial protection