Vulnerable, Heroic … or Invisible? Representations Versus Realities of Later Life in Indonesia

Elisabeth Schrö der-Butterfill, Nathan Porath, Yvonne S. Handajani, Ciptaningrat Larastiti, Benidiktus Delpada, Eef Hogervorst, Hezti Insriani, Jelly, Philip Kreager, Dyah Rahayuningtyas, Yuniferti Sare and Tresno
Additional contact information
Elisabeth Schrö der-Butterfill: Elisabeth Schröder-Butterfill is the corresponding author (e.schroeder-butterfill@soton.ac.uk) Department of Gerontology, University of Southampton, UK.
Nathan Porath: Nathan Porath is affiliated with the Department of Gerontology, University of Southampton, UK.
Yvonne S. Handajani: Yvonne S. Handajani is affiliated with the School of Medicine and Health Science at the Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Ciptaningrat Larastiti: Ciptaningrat Larastiti is an independent researcher from Sleman District, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Benidiktus Delpada: Benidiktus Delpada is also an independent researcher from Propinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia.
Eef Hogervorst: Eef Hogervorst is affiliated with NCSEM, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
Hezti Insriani: Hezti Insriani is an independent researcher from Condongcatur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Jelly: Jelly is also an independent researcher from Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia.
Philip Kreager: Philip Kreager is affiliated with Somerville College, Oxford, UK.
Dyah Rahayuningtyas: Dyah Rahayuningtyas is an independent researcher from Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Yuniferti Sare: Yuniferti Sare is also an independent researcher from Jakarta Barat, Indonesia.
Tresno: Tresno is also an independent researcher from Lahat District, Sumatra Selatan, Indonesia.

Progress in Development Studies, 2023, vol. 23, issue 4, 408-426

Abstract: Indonesia, like many rapidly ageing lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), tends to portray older citizens as ‘vulnerable’ and ‘dependent’; yet the country has few public policies to support them. To this discourse, an alternative stereotype is emerging, influenced by notions of ‘successful ageing’, which promotes models of older people as healthy and contributing to families and the nation state. In this article, we argue that both stereotypes ignore the varied and context-specific conditions of later life. Importantly, the dominant representations ignore the frailty and dependence that many people in LMICs experience towards the end of their lives. This results in dependence and frailty being concealed from view and treated as a purely familial responsibility, which households living in economic, social and demographic precarity can ill afford. ‘Familism by default’ spells invisible, unsupported and unsustainable care for many older Indonesians. This article draws on ethnographic fieldwork between 2018 and 2022 from two research projects on ageing, livelihoods, vulnerability and care in disparate communities across Indonesia. By juxtaposing dominant representations with the social, economic and health realities in which lives are lived, we trace the implications for policies, values and practices around care in later life.

Keywords: Ageing; care; dependence; frailty; Indonesia; vulnerability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:prodev:v:23:y:2023:i:4:p:408-426

DOI: 10.1177/14649934231197277

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