Depok-Basic Health Research Results (Riskesdas) in 2018 showed that the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) had increased when compared to Riskesdas 2013, including cancer, stroke, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. NCD is a disease that can appear without symptoms, often without certain clinical signs. This is what makes most people not aware of the potential dangers.
With age, the physiological functions of the body will decrease due to the aging process and increase the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Seeing these conditions, the Physiotherapy study program, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI) held a community service activity entitled “Improving the Quality of Life for the Elderly by Utilizing the Integrated Non-Communicable Diseases Guidance Post” on Panggang Island, Thousand Island, on August 19-20, 2022.
(Photo: Mita provides education about diseases that can easily attack the elderly)
The head of the service team, Mita Noviana, S.Ft., Physio., M.Kes., said that with this activity, it is hoped that the community will be able to better understand how to prevent disease, treat it, and detect it early through basic examinations. “Collaboration of the community and universities, especially UI, through the role of academics who have a concern for the health of the elderly in the field of physiotherapy is very helpful to create a healthy elderly population or healthy aging population,” said Mita.
Community service activities include health education about preventing non-communicable diseases to cadres, the elderly, and residents to carry out early detection of non-communicable diseases in order to create elderly people who are in line with the concept of healthy aging. Free physical examinations in an effort to prevent non-communicable diseases are also provided in this activity.
(Photo: Posture checks for the elderly were also carried out by the UI Vocational community service team)
“Physical examination carried out on the elderly is an early stage to carry out the NCD prevention process. The data from this examination will be collected and will be used as the basis for carrying out a more specific physical activity program or exercise therapy,” said Riza Pahlawi, Str.Ftr., M.Kes., one of the service teams.
In addition, the service team also provides physiotherapy medical consultation services and trains cadres to do healthy exercise as an effort to prevent non-communicable diseases. Direct intervention is also given to local residents, especially the elderly, with complaints of illness and health problems.
(Photo: Free physical examination for the elderly on Panggang Island)
“This activity is the first time involving the elderly directly to find out their illness. I also hope that activities like this can continue to be carried out in the future and be sustainable,” said Ramsyiati (65), a resident of Panggang Island who participated in the activity.
