Research project
Advancing Sustainable Elderly Healthcare in Indigenous Dayak Communities in East Kalimantan
How can healthcare systems become more responsive to the needs of older people living in indigenous communities, and what can formal healthcare systems learn from local knowledge and practices of care?
- Duration
- 2026 - 2028
- Contact
- Santy Kouwagam
- Funding
- LDE Global Support - INUCoST
- Partners
Universitas Mulawarman, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Airlangga, LUMC, LUMAN
This interdisciplinary international research project examines these questions by bringing together perspectives from law, anthropology, medicine, public health and environmental health. Focusing on indigenous Dayak communities in East Kalimantan, the project explores how lived experiences of ageing, local knowledge, healthcare governance and environmental conditions shape care for older people.
Indonesia is experiencing a demographic transition with a rapidly growing older population. Yet healthcare provision remains uneven, particularly for indigenous communities in semi-rural areas. Older adults may face limited access to formal healthcare while community-based practices that have traditionally supported them are changing. This raises important questions about how elderly healthcare can become more equitable, sustainable and responsive to local contexts.
Local knowledge and healthcare
The project takes a holistic approach to elderly healthcare. It examines how older adults and their families experience care, how responsibilities are shared between families, communities and the state, and how local knowledge and practices shape everyday care. It also investigates the formal healthcare system and the extent to which policy and practice meet local needs.
Research will be conducted in two indigenous Dayak communities in East Kalimantan, Sungai Bawang in Kutai Kartanegara Regency and Pampang in Samarinda. Combining ethnographic and socio-legal research with environmental analysis, the project considers not only social and institutional factors but also environmental conditions such as water, soil and food sources that may affect older people's health.
From research to impact
The project combines research with community engagement and capacity building. Community members and caregivers will receive practical training in everyday health monitoring and elderly care, while the research findings will contribute to identifying gaps in healthcare provision and strengthening services such as Posyandu Lansia.
The East Kalimantan Health Department is involved from the outset, helping to connect research findings with local governance and policy development. Through collaboration between researchers and institutions in Indonesia and the Netherlands, the project also contributes to wider international discussions on ageing, healthcare governance and sustainable care for older populations.
Questions?
For questions about this project, please contact Dr. Santy Kouwagam or Prof. Swandari Paramita.