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Jakarta is building more parks for its elderly residents, but is it enough to cater to their needs?
Indonesia has about 23 million senior citizens or 9 percent of the total population.
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A medical worker checks the health of a senior citizen at a community health center in South Jakarta in this file photo taken on Oct. 18, 2017. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
W
agiri Hadi Mulyono is 71 years old and frequents the park in Kramat Pela, South Jakarta, at least four times a week, sometimes even seven days a week if he has nothing else to do.
“I have to sweat every day. I bike my way here and then go around [the jogging track] about two or three times. Once I break a sweat, I rest, play at the swing set and talk to my friends for about an hour before I head home,” Wagiri said on Saturday.
The jogging track Wagiri referred to is among several facilities elderly visitors like him can enjoy at Langsat Park. The track, 800 meters from end to end, has many benches placed every 100 m or so. The park also has reflexology footpaths made partly protruding stones that are claimed to help with blood circulation.
In addition, the park also has an “active zone”, an outdoor gym for people of all ages, including Wagiri.
Wagiri retired from his job as a private employee around 14 years ago. He said that compared to his friends, he was in much better health and a big part of it was because he remained physically active to this day.
He claimed that his friends were surprised that he was still able to ride his bike to the park.
“I want, in my old days, to always be healthy. If I am healthy, I can do anything, go wherever and whenever,” he said adding that the park has people his age to stay active in a safe outdoor setting.
