Depok-The incidence of stroke in Jakarta is quite high. The report on the results of the 2018 Basic Health Research issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Health shows that the prevalence of stroke in Jakarta has increased from 7% to 10.9% since 2013. Seeing this high number, the budget spent by the state is large enough to deal with stroke, so there is a need for a preventive measures so that the incidence of stroke can be reduced. This was stated by Mita Noviana, S.Ft., M.Kes., a lecturer in Physiotherapy, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI) while conducting community service activities on Panggang Island, Thousand Islands, DKI Jakarta.
WHO defines stroke as a condition of blocked or ruptured brain blood vessels, so that part of the brain experiences a lack of blood supply that carries oxygen and results in cell/tissue death. If not treated immediately, the death of these cells/tissues can result in death.
Data on the number of elderly people in Panggang Island, which is quite a lot, requires prevention of degenerative diseases and important strokes to be carried out. The community service activity, chaired by Riza Pahlawi, S.Tr.Ftr., M.Kes., was provided in the form of counseling and physiotherapy examinations, as well as exercise therapy for cadres, the elderly, and residents of Panggang Island.
(Photo: Riza provides practice and counseling on prevention of degenerative diseases)
“Basic examination and early detection of stroke are a series of examinations that can categorize patients or people being examined into low risk, caution, or high risk of stroke. The stroke early detection program should be accompanied by the implementation of a physiotherapy program in the form of exercise therapy that focuses on dealing with degenerative diseases, so that the elderly are able to do good exercise as an effort to prevent the emergence of degenerative diseases,” said Riza.
He explained that his team carried out early detection of stroke using data that had been filled in by the patient through an examination form that had been prepared by the Indonesian Neuro Physiotherapy Association (PFNI). “In the form there are examinations such as blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking history, and physical activity. From the examination above, a conclusion will be drawn whether the patient is in the category of high, medium, or low stroke risk,” said Riza.
(Photo: Health checks for the elderly are also carried out as a series of community service activities)
The community service activities also focus on educating the elderly in an effort to improve their health status. They are expected to be able to live a better life, be free from complaints, and be able to contribute more to their environment after receiving the benefits provided from these activities.
Kamued (63), one of the participants of the activity admitted that he got many benefits from the community service activities, “There has never been an activity like this on Panggang Island, especially regarding examination and how to detect stroke. We are very grateful to the UI Vocational for providing a lot of health understanding, especially in efforts to prevent stroke, through organizing this activity,” he said.
