Diponegoro National Hospital (RSND), Diponegoro University (Undip) and Undip Clinical Nutrition Specialist Study Program in collaboration with the Semarang Healthy City Forum held a Workshop and Coaching for Kader Posyandu Lansia in the framework of the 2022 National Nutrition Day with the theme “Malnutrition Risk Screening in the Elderly” at the Semarang City Hall, on Wednesday ( 25/5).
The Chairperson of the Semarang City Health Forum, Krisseptiana Hendrar Prihadi, S.H, M.M., in her speech strongly supported this activity. Maintaining health from an early age is a valuable investment, so that in time each individual will be able to become an elderly who is efficient, healthy, active, and independent.
Dr. dr. Sutopo Patria Jati, M.M., M.Kes. as the President Director of the Diponegoro National Hospital (RSND) Undip said that Undip and the Semarang Healthy City Forum will strive to prosper and make Semarang City residents stay healthy, from babies to the elderly.
“RSND and Faculty of Medicine Undip have experts who can contribute to raise awareness, provide understanding, and knowledge which are hoped to be provision for making healthier changes in the future. Hopefully the elderly will be healthier, more prosperous, more enthusiastic to provide benefits for the environment and to not become a burden for the families,” he said.
The resource persons in this webinar are dr. Etisa Adi Murbawani, M.Si., Sp.GK (Clinical Nutrition Specialist at RSND Undip) and dr. Annta Kern Nugrohowati, M.Si., SpGK (Clinical Nutrition Specialist at RSND Undip) and moderated by dr. Enny Probosari, M.Si., Med., Sp.GK (K) (Clinical Nutrition Specialist at RSND Undip).
In her material, dr. Etisa Adi Murbawani explained the factors that influence the health of the elderly include heredity, environment, health services, and behavior (food intake/nutrition and physical activity). Nutritional factors are one of the things that can be changed to prevent a decrease in physical function and increase the physical strength of the elderly.
“Increasing age is closely related to the decline in organ function in the elderly and organ changes often cause the elderly to experience malnutrition. Meanwhile, the symptoms and signs when the elderly experience malnutrition include weight loss, loss of muscle mass, loss of subcutaneous fat or under the skin, swelling due to accumulation of body fluids in certain parts, weakness, fatigue, and getting sick easily,” she explained.
“Factors that affect the elderly’s food intake are decreased ability to digest and absorb, impaired vision, smell, sense of taste and thirst, slowed stomach emptying, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and the presence of certain diseases such as high sugar blood level, kidney, heart and high blood pressure,” continued dr. Etisa.
dr. Annta Kern Nugrohowati presented material on “Malnutrition Risk Screening in the Elderly at Posyandu”. According to her, the nutritional status of the elderly must be monitored because based on data, 59.2% of elderly are at risk of malnutrition, 37.6% are not at risk of malnutrition, and 3.2% are malnourished. Malnutrition is a condition when there is an imbalance, be it a lack or excess, of nutrients in a person’s body.
“Monitoring the nutritional status of the elderly can be carried out during the implementation of the Posyandu Lansia activities and is needed to determine whether there is a risk of malnutrition. The aim is to screen for the risk of malnutrition, prevent an increase in morbidity and mortality, and determine further management if there is a risk of malnutrition. Monitoring the nutritional status of the elderly is carried out by measuring weight and height. After obtaining the results of measurements of height and weight, the body mass index or BMI is calculated. BMI is the ratio between weight and height,” she concluded. (Lin – Public Relations)
