TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
With sports, music and friends, Jakartans embrace old age
In densely populated Duri Pulo in Gambir, Central Jakarta, a group of seniors have formed an angklung community to study and preserve the traditional bamboo musical instrument
Change Size
I
span>In densely populated Duri Pulo in Gambir, Central Jakarta, a group of seniors have formed an angklung community to study and preserve the traditional bamboo musical instrument.
Christin Ristanto, 63, said that the community was started in 2006 with more than 20 members, all female and mostly aged above 70. Some of them have become incapacitated or died throughout the years leaving only 12 active members today.
“It started with some of us in Posyandu Lansia [Integrated Health Post for Elders] thinking it would be nice to have a community that could help us remain active as it happened that one of the grannies here, Sandra, was good at playing music,” said Christin, who is the youngest member in the group.
“Aside from helping us to keep in touch with friends, this activity prevented our loss of mental faculties and even taught us more during our older days. It is important for those of us who are no longer working.”
Christin admitted that despite being self-taught, the angklung community was often invited to perform at events and had become an icon in the neighborhood.
From appearances at celebrations of Kartini Day and Independence Day, she said, local officials noticed the group’s talent and later helped introduce their activities to the Jakarta Tourism Agency.
“In 2017, the agency sent us trainers to help us learn more advanced melodies and techniques to further promote traditional culture among society. From there, we are proud to say that we have been invited to perform at larger events,” added Christin.
Last year, the group of senior citizens was invited to play in a greeting ceremony to welcome the governor during the inauguration of the Petojo Selatan subdistrict office in Central Jakarta. In addition, they were also invited to the mayor’s office to perform at an event to show the results of training under the Tourism Agency assistance.
However, as the community lacks a gathering space, the routines are often practiced in a small hall owned by the Melati Duri Pulo child-friendly public space (RPTRA), where three sets of angklung donated by the Tourism Agency are stored.
Andy Setiady, the manager of the RPTRA who often watches the community’s weekly practice, said that while angklung failed to attract young people there, it gave a chance for the women to be more active and engage in rewarding activities.
“They really need activities that can help them stay healthy and sharp-minded. In addition to the music training, many elders here also do aerobic exercises or tai-chi meditation every morning. Some grandads also play basketball with the young folks,” said Andy.
Werdha Wisma Mulia nursing home in Jelambar, West Jakarta, has various training activities for residents.
“The training programs include knitting, drawing and painting. In addition to recreational purposes, the activities also bring out the personal creativity of elderly people. On national holidays, we hold a competition to measure the training results,” said vice chairperson of the foundation that manages the facility, Anita Y. Rumagit.
Anita acknowledged that she was grateful that many communities from campuses and places of worship came to visit and engage in activities together with elders.
“If there were no such activities, they would certainly be stressed out. Approaching and embracing the elderly is as easy as flicking your fingers.”
Sumini, an energetic 90-year-old, said it was a challenge to stay independent and to take good care of her own health after being left alone by family members who have predeceased her.
“I am tremendously happy to attend various kinds of training and especially church activities on Sundays. I have been singing since an early age,” said Sumini.
“Being active is important. Those who don’t have kids like myself will just get bored by doing nothing. At my age, I still wash my own clothes in the morning. Living on the second floor, I can still easily go up and down the stairs on my own.”
Lina Husin, 68, who recently joined the community, claimed to find a more pleasant atmosphere at the nursing home than at home because there were more visitors to the center.
“I used to live in Pluit in North Jakarta with my younger sister. At home, I just used to go to the vihara. Arriving here earlier this month, I was very happy to find out there would be lots of people coming, lots of activities and lots of friends,” said Lina.
“In only two weeks being here, I have participated in three morning exercises with young instructors coming here regularly.”
Jakarta Population and Civil Registry Agency head Dhany Sukma said that the elderly population in Jakarta had increased significantly in recent years. In 2018, he said, the number of Jakarta residents aged 60 up to 110 reached 869,684 people, up from 805,121 in the previous year.
"It shows that Jakarta has a decent rate of elderly life expectancy," Dhany told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. "This year we recorded a figure of 892,571 based on the June consolidation data and it is likely to exceed 900,000 by the end of the year,"
As the population continues to grow, elderly people have limited options for productive activities, provided by either the private sector or the city administration, which can keep them fit and agile in their old days.
While in some countries many elders spend time working in convenience stores, Indonesia has different views of aging as business places are reluctant to employ people beyond the traditional pool of working-age adults.
The Jakarta Social Agency’s social rehabilitation for children and elderly division head, Sri Widowati, said there were two programs for the elderly, which are limited to financial assistance, known as the productive economic enterprise (UEP) and the Jakarta Card for Elders (KJL).
"Elders do not have the opportunity to work in Jakarta and they usually try to run their own business. Therefore, the UEP program targets 75 potential seniors who have a business or embryonic business," said Sri.
Meanwhile, the KJL program, targeting 40,419 elderly people this year, assists in the basic needs of seniors who lack a steady income or are chronically ill, or who are displaced socially and psychologically, in the form of funding of Rp 600,000 (US$42) per month.
