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INTERVIEW
BACK
2020.3.25
Children Growing at the Workplace
Ria Prestia Anggraini（Age: 33）× Ucu Suhendri（Age: 33）
Ucu and Ria, from Indonesia, came to Japan as EPA Care Worker Candidates. They worked at different places for the first few years, but they have been working together at ‘Mori no Ie Narita,’
an intensive care home for the elderly in Narita, Chiba since 2016 after their marriage. We interviewed how they manage both working and raising children while living in Japan.
PROFILE
| Nane | Ucu Suhendri |
|---|---|
| Workplace | Care Worker at an intensive care home for the elderly run by FUKUSHI-GAKUDAN Social Welfare Corporation ‘Mori no Ie Narita’ |
| Birthplace |  Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia |
| Age | 33 (Born in 1986) |
| Education | Bachelor of Nursing at Syarief Hidayatullah State Islamic University |
| Work Experience | Working as a nurse at a hospital for 1 year |
| Residence Status at Entry to Japan | EPA Care Worker Candidate |
| Arrival Date in Japan | May 2012 |
| Name | Ria Prestia Anggraini |
|---|---|
| Workplace | Care Worker at an intensive care home for the elderly run by FUKUSHI-GAKUDAN Social Welfare Corporation ‘Mori no Ie Narita’ |
| Birthplace | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Age | 33 (Born in 1987) |
| Education | Bachelor of Nursing at Stikes Binawan Jakarta |
| Work Experience | Working as a nurse at a hospital for 3 months |
| Residence Status at Entry to Japan | EPA Care Worker Candidate |
| Arrival Date in Japan | December 2013 |
Ria
It took about one year to get used to my job. I have experienced many difficulties, for example, I tried to help a resident with their meal one time, but they refused to open their mouth.
However, now I believe that nursing care is equal to caring for individuals’ lives. From everyday life to ‘end-of-life-care,’ it is important to respect and provide adequate care for each individual.
The residents are not robots so they definitely have reasons for their refusal. I don’t force myself these days but take time instead. When they are falling asleep, I wipe their faces with hot towels to help them to wake up.
Ucu
That’s right. It is important not to push the residents.
Nursing care includes supporting an individual’s fundamental life activities such as eating, excreting and bathing. So you are required to know each resident well. We report each resident’s condition at a morning meeting and check it on the ‘nursing care log system.’
By using this system, we can check and manage each resident’s care log on computers and smartphones. You can check the vital signs of the residents, such as temperature and blood pressure, so it is very useful. An important item is highlighted so you will not miss it. You can also leave comments on the log so it makes it easier for us to communicate with other coworkers and family members of the residents.
Ria
The log includes the residents’ likes and dislikes, or even pictures and movies taken at the nursing care facility. I think it is nice to share something that you can’t easily describe with words. I have seen and taken a video of a quiet resident doing the moonwalk (laughs).
Ucu
The families of the residents say that they are happy to know how the residents spend their time while they are away.
I sometimes click ‘like’ on Ria’s post on the nursing care log system.
Ria
There is a nursery school next to our workplace. My daughter goes there.
Ucu
The children often visit us.
I used to take care of a resident with who I couldn’t communicate well. But, one day, they mentioned my daughter and asked me if she was well. The topic of my daughter became a good opportunity to open their mind.
Ria
Besides the nursery school, there is also a place called ‘day service,’
both for elders and children, in the same building. In the facility, there is a hair salon that opens twice a month and a cooking room in which the residents can watch through the window. There is even a food truck that comes and sells bread and pastries. We also invite the neighbors once a month to share a meal.
At the day service, the users enjoy a variety of recreation such as Mahjong, karaoke and exercise. When the residents visit the day service, we need to help them to go to the toilet and get dressed before they leave. We have a lot to do (laughs).
Ucu
There are many things to do to care for each resident. So we help each other and work together with staff with disabilities and volunteer staff.
Ria
When I’m free, I use my time in trying to get to know each resident more through making a care plan.
Ria
When I was looking for employment, I tried to find a workplace where hijabs are allowed. In fact, I haven’t felt any difficulties since I started working here.
I also take care of male residents but they are old like my father. So I believe our God understands what I’m engaged in. Because this is my job.
Ucu
There is a mosque which is about 20 minutes drive away from our house. We go there every Friday. We live close to a mosque, and I can feel God close to me. Our relationship of trust becomes firm.
Ria
I pray while working. When we are busy, I ask my coworkers if I can pray after things are settled down.
Ucu
We can basically pray at anytime but it is important to figure out the right timing. We usually pray five times a day, so when we can, we pray for about five minutes.
Ria
During the period of Ramadan, when we fast from sunrise to sunset, I'm told that I don’t have to assist bathing. But I think I have the energy so I do it at my own responsibility. My coworkers tell me no to do it though, worrying that I may faint (laughs).
Ucu
They care about us a lot.
Ria
Ucu and I work different shifts so the other one of us who works the late shift called ‘Osoban’ picks up and drops off our daughter. We also take turns preparing lunch. Ucu can cook so he helps me a lot.
Ucu
Recently, I see halal food more often than before at ‘Niku no Hanamasa,’ a popular supermarket in the Kanto area. We live close to the supermarket so it is very convenient.
Ria
I don’t feel many difficulties living in Japan. We can take a vacation on days that we want twice a month so we have days off together.
On our days off, we play in a park with our daughter or go to shopping malls like ‘AEON.’ Japan has distinctive four seasons unlike Indonesia, so we enjoy going out to tourist spots like Naritasan for seasonal leisure such as watching cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.
Ucu
There are a variety of horizontal relationships among Indonesians living in Japan.
For example, there are EPA Indonesian communities such as ‘IPMI (Ikatan Perawat Muslim Indonesia)’ and ‘Keluarga Masyarakat Islam Indonesia (KMII).’ We join assemblies and plan trips together with friends. We traveled to Yamanashi and stayed overnight last year.
Ria
One time, about 200 of the members gather from all over Japan for an IPMI event. We exchange information via LINE, Facebook and Instagram.
If I were to say, I sometimes feel anxious about my daughter when she gets sick because we don’t have our parents and relatives living close.
Ucu
That’s true. But I think I'm lucky to be able to stay with my family and have a stable job. Ria and I work on the same floor so we can discuss if anything happens at the workplace.
Ria
We know each other’s residents so we often talk about them at home. We both get really excited when there is happy news (laughs).
It has been five years since we got married but our relationship hasn’t changed much. We argue sometimes but cooperate together to overcome difficulties to be a good family. We are not always super happy, but that’s what family is.
Ucu
My goal is to get permanent residency and have my own house in Japan. I also want to get a qualification for a certified nurse so I will study hard to get the JLPT N1.
Ria
I want to go back to Indonesia someday because my parents are there. My goal is to get the JLPT N1 in two years time and become a translator. I own land in Indonesia so I want my house built there.
From the second year, we can take a long vacation called ‘Refresh Vacation.’ You can leave for more than 12 days so I use the system every time I go back to Indonesia.
Ucu
I also want to go to Makkah with my family someday.
Ria
My three-year-old daughter pretends to pray but we still need to think about how we teach her Islam. The very first word she said was “Iyada,” which means “No” in Japanese (laughs). This is how much she is used to life in Japan. By the way, I'm pregnant with my second child.
Ucu
We want to build houses both in Japan and Indonesia because of our children. Even if we go back to Indonesia in the future, it will be easier for them to come back and study at university as long as there is a place to live. We want to give our children a lot of options and an adequate living environment wherever they go.
Workplace
Mori no Ie Narita
They operate an intensive care home for the elderly (maximum capacity of 100 people), a short stay service facility (maximum capacity of 10 people) and an adult daycare center. There is also a nursery school and child daycare center. There is even some staff with disabilities so a variety of people live in the same environment.
Text by Tami Ono
Photo by Isamu Sakamoto
Translation by Mihoko Tsujita, Dean Humphrey