It’s often said that people put their heart and soul into their business but is mostly really just long hours and stress. For elderly people, business is not about money but how they can still function and productive. For that reason creating entrepreneurship and small business is one way to achieve that pride. One of the small business that introduced to the elderly is Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) cultivation. It is a tropical shrub producing a kind of essential oil which is called the same (patchouli oil). In international trade, known as patchouli oilpatchouli oil (from the Tamil language patchai (green) and ellai (leaf), because of the oildistilled from the leaves). The smell of patchouli oil known as ‘heavy’ and ‘strong’ andhas been used for centuries as a perfume (perfume) and the ingredients of incense orincense on the eastern tradition. The selling price of patchouli oil are among the highestwhen compared with other essential oils.
“The idea that elderly people only wait for their time in this life has always struck me as a psychiatrist, I want to change the myth that they can be productive, happy and prosperous in their old time”, said Professor Luh Ketut Suryani when she brought some of elderly people to see Patchouli cultivation created by Daniel Bahari who was boxing coach, boxing manager and promoter in Bali.
“Patchouli can grow anywhere and can be inter cropped with other plants. However, patchouli will grow well at an altitude of 10-400 m above sea level. Patchouli is not thirsty water and drought resistant, but the patchouli just want the temperature 24-28 degrees Celsius and has more than 75% moisture and rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year 2000-3500 mm per year” explain Daniel Bahari when receiving the elderly group. Patchouli oil is produced through the refining process, but before steps are necessary to pre-treatment of material to be distilled, by diminution kuran / cutting and drying or withering. The process needs to be done because of patchouli oil in the plant is surrounded by oil glands, vessels, oil or hair gladular bag, so that when materials are left intact, the speed of oil spending only depends on the diffusion processes which take place very slowly.