MADINAH – This year, the Ministry of Religious Affairs once again embraces the tagline "Haji Ramah Lansia" or Elderly-Friendly Hajj. Data from the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) shows that there are approximately 45,678 pilgrims aged 65 and above (21.41%).

Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, highlights the focus on Elderly-Friendly Hajj and disability services. Various efforts have been made, including prioritizing them for business class seats during flights, both to and from the Holy Land. Special allocations are also made for elderly pilgrims' companions.

"We specifically allocate a quota for elderly pilgrim companions. This is part of MoRA's efforts to realize Elderly-Friendly Hajj," explained MoRA spokesperson Anna Hasbie on Monday (May 13, 2024).

According to Anna, based on the evaluation of the 2023 Hajj implementation, there were several elderly service needs that could not be optimally accessed by officials. Therefore, the presence of companions, usually family members, is crucial.

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Other efforts include releasing Hajj exercises with elderly-friendly movements, allowing the elderly to practice to maintain their fitness and health.

As a proactive measure, MoRA also initiates several elderly-friendly programs domestically, such as mentoring sessions with relaxed rules and priority services in Hajj dormitories, including special menus and ground-floor accommodations.

Attention to the elderly even extends to seating arrangements on flights. The Head of the Hajj Utilization and Hajj Registration Field across Indonesia issued a circular to prioritize services for elderly pilgrims.

This includes seating elderly pilgrims in business class, priority seats, or front row seats on the plane, as well as placing healthcare providers closer to high-risk elderly pilgrims.

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The mechanism for organizing pilgrimage groups for elderly and disabled pilgrims takes into account factors such as family relationships, regions, health conditions, and the minimum number of elderly pilgrims in the initial group. (*)