Yogya to get comprehensive one-stop aging center<\/p>\n
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
As people's life expectancy has extended -- an indicator of the
\ncountry's success in the development of community health, there
\nare more and more elderly people waiting for treatment.<\/p>\n
But the increase in aging population does not necessarily
\nresult in an increase in the number of centers providing
\ncomprehensive services for the elderly.<\/p>\n
The problem has caught the attention of Yogyakarta-based
\nGadjah Mada University (UGM).<\/p>\n
\"Our idea, basically, is to establish a geriatric hotel-
\nhospital where the elderly will find it enjoyable and comfortable
\nfor medical treatment. It is indeed a hospital, but offers hotel-
\nstandard services and accommodation,\" said Triwibowo, an
\ninternist and geriatric expert at the university's School of
\nMedicine.<\/p>\n
The idea has started to materialize with the official opening
\nof a geriatric clinic on Jl. Andong Baciro, Yogyakarta, opposite
\nto the Mandala Krida Stadium. The clinic occupies a 750-square-
\nmeter space on the first floor of the former north wing of UGM's
\nthree-story Dharma Putra dormitory building.<\/p>\n
At present, the clinic only offers out-patient care but is
\nplanning to provide inward care services on the second floor
\nwithin two to three years, including education facilities on the
\nthird floor.<\/p>\n
\"In fact, all the buildings on the 1.5 hectare plot of land
\nhas been allocated for the Jogja Aging Center, not only the
\nformer dormitory building. We are now looking for interested
\ninvestors,\" said Triwibowo, who has been named as project
\ncoordinator of the geriatric hotel-hospital or Jogja Aging Center
\n(JAC), as it is named. He added, however, the continuation of the
\nproject would depend on how the newly-opened clinic operated.<\/p>\n
For a start, the plan to turn the buildings into comfortable
\nwards, treatments rooms, laboratories and other special
\nfacilities for the elderly was estimated to at least Rp 40
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Special facilities for the elderly would include non-slippery
\nfloors; lavatories with specially designed doors -- with its
\nlower parts open to enable people from the outside to monitor
\nwhat is going on inside, in case something happens to the elderly
\nusing the lavatories; higher chairs and benches comfortable for
\nthe elderly to sit on; and firm handles installed on the walls
\nalong the hospital's corridors.<\/p>\n
\"For the moment, we'll see whether our plan meets the people's
\nneeds,\" said Triwibowo, adding that on paper, the figures showed
\nthe plan had a prospective future.<\/p>\n
The optimistic tone came from the fact that Yogyakarta is home
\nto some 400,000 aging people of 60-years-old and over, or some 14
\npercent of the city's population.<\/p>\n
Across the country, there are 14 million aged population, or
\nabout 7 percent of the total population. The percentage is
\npredicted to rise to 14 percent in 2025.<\/p>\n
According to the Ministry of Health's data, the average
\nperson's life expectancy in Indonesia, has extended within the
\nlast 30 years, from 55-years-old in 1970 to 70-years-old in 2000.<\/p>\n
The data was an indicator of the country's success in
\ndeveloping community health, as the number of senior citizens
\nreaching 60-years-old had quadrupled in 2000 compared to 6.6
\nmillion in 1980.<\/p>\n
Triwibowo explained that growing old is a normal biological
\nprocess, however, the elderly were vulnerable to both physical
\nand mental diseases.<\/p>\n
The elderly, he added, usually encountered three main
\nproblems: health, nutrition -- like obesity or malnutrition, and
\nimmobility. Health treatment for the elderly is not easy, since
\nit has be administered integrated, taking other health aspects
\nlike nutrition and immobility into account.<\/p>\n
\"In this case, a thorough medical evaluation conducted by a
\nteam of doctors is very essential,\" said Triwibowo, who also
\nheads the state-run Sardjito Hospital's Geriatric Clinic.<\/p>\n
The plan for the Jogja Aging Center would offer integrated
\nhealth care services under one roof and provide education for
\nmembers of the community and research activities on gerontology
\nand geriatrics.<\/p>\n
\"We will also make the center as an information and data
\ncenter on geriatrics and hopefully, will work with the government
\nin developing programs and policies on geriatrics.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yogya-to-get-comprehensive-one-stop-aging-center-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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