Community service activity entitled “LENTERA,” an acronym for “Lansia Energik dan Sehat Bersama Apoteker” (Energetic and Healthy Elderly with Pharmacists) was conducted by the Master in Pharmacy Management students of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Class of 2024. This event was held on February 5, 2025, in Sengon Village, Klaten Regency, with 27 elderly participants. The activities included an energetic and healthy elderly exercise session led by a trained instructor, a health education session on fitness for active and happy elderly, a Q&A session, and the distribution of door prizes and souvenirs for the elderly.
The health education session for energetic and happy elderly began with a discussion on the importance of physical fitness. Exercise is crucial as it helps maintain overall health, reduces the risk of chronic diseases (such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, etc), and improves both physical and mental well-being. The session also covered tips for maintaining physical fitness in the elderly, such as staying active (through exercise), maintaining a healthy diet, getting sufficient rest, keeping cognitive health in check, and undergoing regular health check-ups. Recommended exercises for the elderly include leisurely walking, elderly gymnastics with light movements focused on muscle strength and flexibility, yoga, tai chi, and leisurely cycling.
Additionally, the elderly were encouraged to maintain a healthy diet by consuming high-fiber foods (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), high-quality protein (fish, tofu, tempeh, or eggs), limiting high-salt and high-sugar foods, and drinking 6-8 glasses of water per day. Through this health education session, it was hoped that the elderly would gain more knowledge and awareness about maintaining their bodies to stay fit, healthy, and energetic.
This event included a discussion session where participants could ask questions to the presenter for further clarification on the topics discussed. The presenter also utilized this session to evaluate the audience’s understanding of the material. The final activity was the distribution of door prizes, such as basic food packages, to the elderly who actively asked or answered questions and those who showed enthusiasm and energy during the exercise session. Additionally, all attending elderly received a souvenir in the form of a tumbler. Overall, the elderly participants demonstrated great enthusiasm and active engagement throughout the event.