The success of health development in Indonesia has an impact on the decline in birth rates, morbidity rates, and mortality rates as well as an increase in life expectancy (UHH). One consequence is that since 2010 there has been an increase in the number of elderly people (lansia).
Precisely, the data from the Indonesian Population Projection 2010-2035 of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows an increase in the UHH at birth from 69,8 years in 2010 to 70,9 years in 2017 and is expected to increase to 72,4 in 2035. This is what is called the transition to an old population structure (aging population).
Meanwhile, based on Riskesdas data in 2013, there was an epidemiological transition from infectious diseases to an increase in non-communicable diseases (PTM). So that the elderly tend to have multipathological diseases.
As an effort to prevent the risk of the disease, the Ministry of Health is encouraging the acceleration of improving the quality of health services for the elderly in health facilities. Now, 14 referral hospitals in 12 provinces have been registered that have Integrated Geriatric services, including: Dr. Adam Malik General Hospital, Dr. M. Jamil General Hospital, M. Hosein General Hospital, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, Dr. Kariadi General Hospital, Dr. Moewardi General Hospital, Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Sanglah General Hospital, Dr. Wahidin General Hospital, Prof. Dr. dr. RD Kandouw General Hospital, and Dr. Soedarso General Hospital.
Until 2017, there were around 37,1% of Community Health Centers (3.654 Community Health Centers out of 9.754 Community Health Centers) that had provided Elderly Care health services and had 80.353 Elderly Posyandu/Posbindu.
Concern for the health of the elderly, according to the Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Nila Moeloek, Sp.M(K), is a manifestation of providing a wider range of services and realizing the right to health for all; as stipulated in Article 7 of Law Number 36 of 2009 concerning Health.
The aim is to keep the elderly healthy, fit and empowered through the Life Cycle approach (continuum of care) which starts from the pre-pregnancy period, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, babies, toddlers, teenagers, productive age, pre-elderly, and elderly.
"At every stage of the life cycle, there are health interventions that must be provided to create quality elderly people," explained the Minister of Health.
The Minister of Health hopes that cross-sectoral work can build public understanding of the importance of healthy living. This is also a preparatory step to achieving healthy, independent, active, and productive elderly people since several previous generations. ((Communication and Public Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health together with the Government Communication Team of the Ministry of Communication and Information))
