FKUI-RSCM and NU Muslimat Educate Public on Emergency First Aid for the Elderly

Improving public literacy regarding emergency care for the elderly is becoming increasingly important as the number of older people in Indonesia continues to rise. According to data from the Ministry of Health, 16 provinces have already entered an ageing population phase, necessitating massive educational efforts so that the public can quickly and accurately recognise and handle emergencies commonly experienced by the elderly. In response, the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI)-RSCM, in collaboration with the Nahdlatul Ulama Muslimat Welfare Foundation (YKMNU), held the ‘Sehat, Inspiratif, Giat, Aktif, dan Produktif’ (SIGAP) Lansia event at the Harapan Remaja Orphanage in East Jakarta on Saturday (27/6). The event was held to improve public knowledge regarding the handling of emergencies frequently experienced by the elderly. Aida Rosita Tantri, Chair of the SIGAP Lansia event, stated that people now live side by side with many elderly individuals, both within their families and in their neighbourhoods. Therefore, knowledge of first aid in emergency situations is very important. ‘This event aims to improve the public’s knowledge and skills in recognising emergencies in the elderly and providing appropriate first aid before receiving medical assistance,’ Aida said in an official statement. Aida emphasised that education on handling emergencies in the elderly is an increasingly urgent need as the elderly population in Indonesia grows. She explained that quick and appropriate assistance can increase the survival rate of the elderly while supporting the improvement of healthcare service quality. Aida hopes that similar activities can continue so that communities in various regions have the same preparedness in facing emergency conditions in the elderly. ‘We hope to increase public awareness about the importance of handling emergencies in the elderly by laypeople,’ she said. Erna Yulia Soefihara, Chair of the Central YKMNU, explained that in its various activities, the foundation actively collaborates with the community, including in the health sector. YKMNU is an organisational body of NU Muslimat women with around 32 million members spread across Indonesia. According to Erna, education on emergencies in the elderly is very important so that the benefits are not only felt by the participants who attend. ‘The knowledge gained is expected not to stop with the participants present, but can be passed on to families and the surrounding environment so that more people are able to recognise emergency conditions in the elderly,’ she said. The SIGAP Lansia activity included material presentations, case simulations, and practical skills in basic life support, patient or victim transport, and splinting. The first material was presented by anaesthesiology and intensive therapy specialist Riyadh Firdaus on first aid for strokes, covering symptom recognition using the SEGERA and FAST methods and initial aid steps. The next material was presented by anaesthesiology and intensive therapy specialist Adinda Meidisa Akhmad on the initial handling of shortness of breath, covering symptom recognition, possible causes, and proper body positioning when providing aid. The final session was presented by anaesthesiology and intensive therapy specialist Aida Rosita Tantri, who explained basic life support techniques, quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of Automated External Defibrillators for laypeople. After the material sessions, participants were divided into small groups to carry out a series of simulations. The programme is expected to improve the public’s ability to recognise emergency conditions in the elderly, enabling them to provide appropriate first aid.