penjagaan

Penjagaan is a Malay/Indonesian noun meaning the act or process of caring for, looking after, protecting, or guarding someone or something. Etymologically it derives from penjaga, guard or caretaker, with the suffix -an.

In everyday use, penjagaan covers a broad range of activities from personal care to formal support. It can denote caregiving within families—parents providing penjagaan to children or families caring for elderly or disabled relatives—as well as professional care in health and social services. In legal contexts, penjagaan refers to guardianship or custodianship, where a person is appointed to make decisions and ensure welfare for a minor or an incapacitated adult. Laws regulating guardianship define the guardian's duties, powers, and duration, and specify when guardianship ends or is transferred.

Socially, penjagaan intersects with childcare, elder care, disability services, and welfare programs. Cultural expectations often place emphasis on family-based penjagaan, while recognizing the role of formal services and public policy in supporting caregivers.

See also: care, guardianship, caregiving, elder care, child welfare.