Article published by PBH Nusra (NTT). Author: Yulius Regang
Getting old is not an option, but a cycle of life experienced by every human being. No one in this world can escape old age. Everyone can try to look youthful, but physical changes and age, cannot be deceived in any way. Old age is a certainty, so there is no reason for anyone not to prepare for old age as early as possible.
In fact, humans tend to ignore one phase in the life cycle, namely old age. People tend to overdo their youth and forget to prepare for old age. This is very real in the lives of local people in general. They spend their time with routine jobs until they forget to take care and prepare for the future properly. As a result, many elderly people cannot enjoy the rest of their lives properly and are far from prosperous. Situations and conditions that do not support also exacerbate the situation so that many elderly people experience violence and are abandoned by their families.
This condition automatically places the elderly in a helpless position because physically they are no longer strong, their immune system begins to weaken, eye function begins to blur, hearing no longer functions normally, memory begins to weaken, and various types of diseases come and go. This situation is experienced by the elderly survivors of 65.
The elderly assisted by PBH-Nusra are a group of survivors of past serious human rights violations that spread across three assisted villages: Ian Tena, Tua Bao, and Natarmage. There are 109 elderly people being accompanied. This number continues to decline from time to time because many elderly people are helpless due to age and illness.
For years the survivors lived in fear and are reluctant to open up to outsiders. They include people who experience layers of stigma and discrimination, are neglected, and do not get a good space in society. They find it difficult to express themselves because of stigma and discrimination. PBH Nusra seeks to restore their dignity by opening spaces for inclusion and fighting for the rights of the elderly to obtain services and social assistance from the state.
PBH-Nusra also involves young people as volunteers who are ready to help the elderly access basic services, especially in the health sector such as Posyandu (integrated service post) for the elderly, Supplementary Food Provision, and conducting home visits.
PBH-Nusra also tries to build meeting spaces that involve multi-stakeholders, including the government, the community, the elderly, young people, organizations, and individuals who care about the elderly. Small actions are carried out to give attention to the elderly and raise a sense of community concern, especially by the youth group towards the elderly. The problem faced by the elderly is not solely the responsibility of the state or government but is a shared responsibility.
All elements of society need to give attention and support to the elderly in accessing basic services and social assistance. Meanwhile, the government is obliged to ensure that the budget and work programs are in accordance with the needs of the community.
Good cooperation between the community and the government will result in the welfare of the elderly. In improving health and social services for the elderly, PBH-Nusra collaborates with Indonesia for Humanity, which is supported by Voice Global through the “Better Together” program in accordance with the mandate of Law Number 13 of 1998 concerning Elderly Welfare.