The Importance of Family and Community Approach in Reducing the Risk Faced by the Elderly During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19, spreads very quickly and became a global pandemic in a short time, is not only life-threatening but also disrupts people’s lives, especially the elderly who are very vulnerable to being exposed to the coronavirus. The number of Indonesian elderly people is constantly increasing, reaching around 29 million in 2021. Almost half of them have socio-demographic vulnerability, high morbidity, and limited economic conditions. This paper discusses the importance of reducing the impact and risk that elderly people face in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic with a family and community approach. During the pandemic, the elderly people in the research location confront many challenges, such as accessing health facilities and services, providing basic daily needs, and engaging in social interaction, which are limited due to the government’s social restrictions. The health vulnerabilities and risks of the elderly are therefore getting higher, as indicated by the large number of them exposed to and dying due to COVID-19. The economic vulnerability and financial dependence of some elderly on their families also increase. In these difficult conditions, their families and residential communities provide enormous support and positively influence the knowledge, awareness, and behavior of the elderly regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. This research relies heavily on primary data collection using qualitative methods through in-depth interviews with representatives of the elderly in the City of Bekasi, West Java. Data are also collected through a desk review of relevant books, articles, and documents.