The elderly in Indonesia face a lot of stigma and discrimination. They are seen as “useless” who lack the capacity to be productive. The low wage rate rates during their working years and a lack of financial planning skills negatively impact their ability to support themselves, further entrenching this perception. At the same time, public health services currently cannot meet the wide range of health requirements the elderly can have.

Empowerment grantee the Women Resource Development Center (PPSW) in Jakarta is tackling these issues through their project Women Leadership for Easy Access. They are implementing a 4-part strategy, which includes working with cooperatives to improve elderly women’s access to retirement and risk mutual funds, increase access to social services, strengthen their capacity to participate in elderly care centres, and raise public awareness on the stigma and discrimination against the elderly.

To raise public awareness, they developed bright and colourful stickers to be placed in homes, government offices, and partner cooperatives. These stickers send a message that the elderly are not unproductive and a burden to society. They can be independent and healthy through the love and care of their families. They even provide short tips on how somebody can support the elderly in their community. The stickers are shared with the elderly mothers working with PPSW Jakarta, who in turn distributes the stickers in their communities.

The stickers are just one step in a broader campaign to eliminate the stigma and discrimination against the elderly. They are also campaigning online through their facebook page and website. They will organize an “Elderly Festival” to further celebrate the elderly in their communities, and advocate for improving elderly health and empowerment.

You can check out the stickers below as well as photos of the stickers in the field.

Stickers

Top Text: Realising Healthy, Productive, and Independent Elderly

Bottom Text: The elderly are not unproductive, weak, and unhealthy people who become a social burden for family, society, and country.

Top Text: Elderly Care through Family

Surrounding Text:

1. Give affection, time, and attention.
2. Respect and value elderly.
3. Give chance to live together.
4. Fulfill their needs.
5. Be patient and wise towards elderly’s behaviours.
6. Don’t treat them as burden.
7. Involve them in family activity.
8. Check their health regularly.

Photos